Sick leave. Do I have to ask for?

[benicia]

Hi,

I'm a french woman living in Norway and pregnant (29 weeks now).

I work in a gårdsbarnehage (farm kindergarten) as a non permanent worker and it's more and more difficult for me to do my job (back very painfull, contractions , I must lift children, change diapers, help children to dress, clean stables, carry water buckets, go up and down all the day, clean, wash, cook, and stand most of the day).

I went to the doctor this morning and tried to explain that to him but he seemed to did not understand that I have to stop working! He just told me to speak with my boss to have a less difficult work... I can not do that as I am certain as if I start to stop doing all, they will not call me anymore and I need money!

So, do you think I must ask directly for a sick leave? Is it normal in Norway to ask for that?

Thanks for your answers.

 

[TrueHæppiness]

Talk to your doctor again, coz in my opinion he should call u sick now. If not, explain the situation as it is..

At the time i dont have a steady job due to studies. I went to the doc and explained how it was'nt possible for me to work any longer. Was np at all..got a sick leave right away.

 

Buuuut....i do miss working:)

 

Good luck!

[benicia]

Thanks for your answer. I have a appointment with the midwives next weeks. I hope they will be more open minded... We'll see....

[shari_z]

It seems that with some doctors, you really have to be blunt and tell them how your life is in order for them to understand. That is, you have to tell your doctor how difficult it is for you to do all these things, that it is wearing you out and, if applicable, starting to stress you out mentally. Other doctors understand this without being told; you are 29 weeks pregnant and have a heavy job working in a gårdsbarnehage.

 

However, it may be that your doctor meant for you to speak with your boss about "tilrettelegging", that is, that your boss will rearrange your work day to make it easier for you (less lifting, less heavy work, chairs for you to sit on when possible instead of standing, etc) in order to keep you active in the work force longer. That is, of course, the ideal (and what NAV wants. Sometimes, though, it isn't possible for tilrettelegging (which you have the right to by law), and then your doctor will need to write you a sykemelding. You don't say if you have a full time job or if you are a call-in substitute or whatever, but it is really difficult to fire pregnant women in Norway. You have the right to have your boss do what it takes (as far as he is able to) to make it better for you at work so you *can* actually keep working. Explain to your boss that it is really getting difficult for you, and that you want to work, but that you need tilrettelegging in order to do that.

 

Your midwife cannot write you a sykemelding, but she may very well be able to explain things better to you. And she might (I'm making a guess in the dark here) be willing to speak with your doctor about your physical condition. Most likely, you need to get another appointment with your doctor and discuss this again - but I would recommend (for the sake of argument) having asked your boss about tilrettelegging at work.

 

Most likely your contractions are just Braxton-Hicks contractions (kynnere in Norwegian), but be careful and take it seriously. Mine were also just Braxton-Hicks until they became real contractions that started dilating my cervix when I was 26 weeks causing me to go into labor. Labor was stopped, but after that I was to do NO heavy lifting (not even a grocery bag) and NO activity that caused contractions, which basically meant I sat in a chair and read books for the next 10 weeks until my kid came 4 weeks early in spite of everything.

 

Good luck! I think your job sounds far too heavy for you to be doing right now (although I think it otherwise sounds like an exciting workplace!), and that you need tilrettelegging, and/or full/partial sykemelding so you can get some rest. Hope your doctor will listen to you better next time.

[StaciJo]

I second Shari!

I actually had a whole mess of ideas to write down, but shari sums it up perfectly!

Go to your doctor, and just lay out your feelings. If you're not able to do your job, you are entitled to a sykmelding or work reduction. If your doctor won't give you one, go to a midwife. They can call your barnehage and explain what you cannot do, and if that's not an option to continue working, then the midwife can call the dr. After that, you should be able to get a sick note. But really, you shouldn't have to go through that much...the sykmelding states (for your own and NAVs record) why you're on sick leave.

When I was on sick leave due to severe exhaustion and morning sickness my note simply said "svangerskaps kvalme, < 22 uker" (pregnancy nausia < 22 weeks).

 

You need to do what is best for you and this baby. It's not laziness, it's not selfishness. :-) You can do it! :-D

 

 

 

 

 

[benicia]

Thanks for your answers.

The doctor talked to me about the "tilrettelegging" of course, but as a call-in substitute (even if I work very often full time), it's difficult to ask for not doing things because they will call somebody else... My boss is very open minded but the work needs to be done and they have other substitute they can call.

I have no choice so, if I am not able to do my job properly I need to be sykemelding... or to go through and grit one's teeth hoping that nothing will happen...

I will see on thursday with the midwife and give you a feedback.

[benicia]

Hi,

I went to the midwife and I'm now sykemelding because the contractions started to affect the cervix... I have to rest so...

Thanks for your help!

[Alida*Englebarn]

Hei!

Noen spørsmål til deg:-)

Hvor lenge har du jobbet i barnehagene, har du arbeidskontrakt der?

Sykemelding kan du be om selv, fortelle legen at du har vondt. Likevel er det lurt å spørre arbeidsgiver om få slippe å gjøre de vanskelige arbeidsoppgavene du gjør nå. Du skal ikke ta tunge løft, ikke bære vannbøtter og løfte barn osv. Arbeidsgiver er pliktig til å tilrettelegge arbeidet for deg når du er gravid. Dette arbeidet er ikke bra for deg og du må enten få andre arbeidsoppgaver på jobben eller sykemelde deg fra jobben.

Jeg har hørt at om du sykemelder deg før kontrakten går ut kan du søke om sykepenger uavhengig om kontrakten går ut.

 

 

[benicia]

Hei, I have no contract, just a ringevikar position for 5 month now! There is always somebody sick so I work a lot.

I am sykemelding now but I'm not sure I will have sykepenger... It's so difficult to have an answer from NAV! I spoke with 3 different persons and had 3 different answers...

I am very lucky to have really incredibly nice bosses who do their best to make me have right to sykepenger and foreldredpenger. We'll see...

 

[shari_z]

Best of luck to you, I hope that everything works out somehow. Your bosses do sound nice, but your first priority now is to keep your baby in your tummy longer. Mine was only 4 weeks early, and didn't have to be in ICU, but it was such a hassle as she was tiny and didn't eat well. And it isn't every 36-weeker who does as well as mine, either.

 

I'll keep you in my thoughts and hope that NAV helps you out favorably with the sick leave and maternity leave.