can you look for alternative employment while on the sick

[donna1901]

hi all,
I am on the sick from my work and have been for around 5months.(work related stress)
On debating on whether to return to work or not I have been looking for alternative employment and have been offered a job within the nhs. I need works references from my present employer basically which could be a lil awkward as i am on the sick.
Basically i want to know if there is any law or guidance which states you cannot find alternative employment while on the sick?

[Elkilady]

I'm sorry Buildersmate has a very dim veiw of a very real illness,and for the people who become victims of 'bully bosses', who strip employees of their confidence.
Why should these bosses be allowed to get away with this, the only thing the employee can do is go on the sick with work related stress. Then they have to endure more stress trying to sort out the problem!
Mental health problems in the work place are a real issue in this present climate and correct me if I wrong but arn't HR workers there to help with these problems! But that's is if you are lucky enough to work for a large company that has a HR department; when you don't it is a very difficult problem to sort out a 'bully boss', you're only real option is to change jobs.

[xxkimxx]

my partner is on the sick and still is employed but he wants to starts hes own buisness could we send flyers out and try and set the buisness up or will this effect hes sick and can he get done?

[countrylady]

I am shocked at the attitude to work related stress on this page. I think that it displays an ignorance of the effect of work stress (and also bullying) that can leave employees reeling. I think that the gentleman from HR needs to re-educate himself and go and read Stress Related Illness by Tim Cantopher. Stress related illness is often seen as a mental illness (yes it is) but it is also a physical one too. My advice is to get help with medication if you have not already got that and counselling, if you can afford it. Have a look at the Equality Act - if your Doctor is likely to treat you for over a year, then you might be able to look at mental disability under the act and ask for a reasonable adjustment to work - moving to a new role/ duties or a phased return might help. Consult your union and ask for help to negotiate a way back with adjustments. There is no law in this country for bullying, or the stigma associated with work related stress, yet of all the days of sickness in this country by far the biggest is for work related stress! We have reams of legislation on physical dangers and a Health and Safety Executive who are all over physical accidents at work. Yet the biggest "accident" at work that many of us are likely to suffer is work related stress. Treat those with mental illnesses like work related stress with the same dignity that you would address someone with a physical illness. It us both of these things and deeply debilitating. This lady deserves all the help she can get, if she is faced with the same negative reactions as those displayed on this page from her own HR team.