Leave and IVF

Hi all

Just wondering two things, how many days off work you had when doing a full stim cycle around OPU and transfer and if you took that time as sick leave or not?

My new manager who I told about my situation mentioned that she thought IVF would not constitute sick leave, but I would have thought I have a medical condition and am having medical treatment so it would be sick leave?


Thanks in advance

Jane

Hi Jane,

I haven't done my first one yet, but when I went for the IUI's they gave me the days off for free (if that makes sense...)? My manager was a woman so I guess she understood. I hope you get the same!!

Jane,

Your FS will write you a medical certificate for the days off you require (or he should anyway) You are entitled to take these days off as sick leave.

I usually took the day of EPU off sick, as well as the day after. My FS wrote certificates for both days, and wrote one for DH for the day of my EPU. Then I also took the day of ET off (again medical cert for both me and DH)

As long as you have medical certificates, you can claim these days as sick days. You are, after all, undergoing a medical procedure. And as for DH on the day of ET, my FS always said he wrote one for him because someone had to drive me home and look after me.

For that matter, when you go have a tooth removed, you can claim sick leave, and it's obviously also pre-planned and not always necessary, in the strictest sense. No difference here.

Good luck!

Jane,

You will get a medical certificate from the doctor for however many days you would like. I am amazed that your boss thought it wouldn't be sick leave. Actually it's none of her business really because if you have a medical certificate then that is the end of the story. It's a day procedure and you will be having some sort of sedative so you won't be able to work.

I had two days around OPU (that day and the one after). I didn't take any leave around transfer ... I just had a word to my boss and used a bit of flex time to run up the road and have the transfer done. Hope that helps a bit. =)

Cheers,

Mel

Jane, I would love to ring your bosses neck. It is a medical condition, and does constitute having time off. I would go to your doc, and get a sick cert; I think the clinic does them for you anyway. I had a fantastic understand boss, whom gave me as long as i wanted off when we went thru IVF. In fact i took 3 months off, to do 2x IUI and an IVF cycle. I figured, It was my turn, to have my dream, and i took the time to R&R.
I would have had at least 2weeks off (if i hadnt of had the 3 months off) a week prior, and the week after.
Good luck hun, I hope you achieve your little miracle soon

Thanks everyone, I don't think she was being malicious about it, she seemed like she was more thinking out loud if that makes sense, and I didn't go into great detail about it, more one of those conversations along the line of "why don't you take some leave you seem tired", so I had to explain how most of my annual leave has been used as sick leave as I have missed a bit of work this year when I had a problem bleeding into the ovary and also I had some sick and annual leave when I had my lap in Feb.

I think I should have 3 days up my sleeve by the day of pickup and I'll get a certificate from the doctor and take it easy and not worry about them at work :)

Thanks again.

Jane,

with 8 IVF/FETs in just under 13 months, plus my nanna getting sick, and taking 2 weeks off for the TWW on my third attempt, I used up a heck of a lot of leave too. In fact, I think I was getting to the point where they were starting me on unpaid sick leave as I had no more entitlements. But I always figured I was spending so much on IVF, what's a few days' pay in the whole scheme of things?

exactly sushee, I don't care if it's unpaid as long as we get the ball rolling and realistically after a few attempts if need be I will be most likely be taking it as unpaid leave

Jane - good luck!!!!

Good luck Jane. xoxo

I have also used sick leave for any time I've taken during an IVF cycle - the specialist has always been happy to write out a medical certificate. I've taken between 3 and 7 days off around OPU and ET depending on the timing of everything. Don't think my boss is that wrapt about me taking the time but as far as I'm concerned it is sick leave and I'll take the time that my specialist recommends.

Marg

As the girls said if you have a certificate you are entitled to take the days off. That is what they are there for.

I actully left work so I could do IVF. A long story, but basicly even with a certificate,and taking time off, I ended up doing more hours in the week, than I got paid. I left with 13 weeks sick leave unused! At the end of the day no one says thank you for not taking sick leave!! Anyway if I was working I would take off EPU plus the day after. Then ET.

I was worried about this too (I am half way through a 6 month contract with leave entitlements). The counsellor at Monash IVF told us we will be given certificates for the days around OPU. If you didn't tell your manager you were undergoing IVF treatment they would have to pay you SL based on the certificates anyway.
I had a chat with my manager about it and she said I would be able to use sick leave for it and she is also fine with me going to my appointments and leaving it up to me whether I make up the time or get short paid/take leave etc.
There is a lot to be said for Managers who try to do the right thing by staff.

I used up all my leave as well as RDO's, I was lucky and scheduled most appointments around lunch hrs or before work and had 3 days off for opu and transfer and went back there was a day where I had a morning off for a transfer in the morning and went to work after lunch. When we discussed IVF I sat my boss down and gave it all to them explaining that booking in holidays wasnt going to work and lalala they were really good about it.
I thought any medical procedure was certificate worthy guee even dentist can write them. Good luck Jane
Bec

Me again, turns out I was wrong about her, I have been off all week from work as I caught a nasty bug and have been coughing like mad and been as sick as a dog all week. I saw my GP yesterday and he gave me today as well to get over it which means I have had the week off work. I called in today to let them know I am still sick and she told me I am now negative 2 days in sick leave and need to sit down and talk with them on Monday about whether it will be unpaid leave or if it will come off my annual leave. I mentioned that I have some annual leave booked as DH and I needed a break and she said "oh is that so soon". They now won't let me have time to take Mum to hospital (all my family live hundreds of km's away and Mum is coming here to hospital) I needed to leave at 4 on Monday to pick her up and now that is a problem as well.

I just spoke to DH and we are considering me leaving work altogether to concentrate on IVF.

I am so mad, I still feel so sick and now I can't stop crying about it all. I actually got AF last night so this is it, I start my down reg in the next few days and now I have to worry about work on top of things.

Here I was worrying all week about missing work and leaving them in the lurch while I was crook and all they worry about is me doing the wrong thing. All the unpaid overtime I have done has meant nothing to them. I don't know if I am over reacting being hormonal and all.

Why is this just so hard? If I am to the point where I am hoping EPU is a Thursday to minimise wrk dsruption then I think I have a serious problem with them.

Any ideas? Sorry for ranting I just can't stop crying.

Thast bloody awful Jane, tihs is not waht you need roght now :hug: I had a similar sitauation at ths starte of this year and ended up taking off 4 months unpaid leaev to conscentrate on "stuff".

They are lucky thgat you aresnt running off to a psychaologist asking for evdeicence to take unpaid stress leave!

I dont thikn youyr overreacting at all. I woudl be mad as hell.

If you can affortd to take the teime off, it did help me - obsviously not with ceonceivinbg but certaiunly with my mental/emotoinal gealth...

thanks Keen, emotionally I need it at the moment. It's an awful place, they are at you all the time and as soon as it doesn't go their way BAM straight at your throat. I would have thought they would have at least had the decency to let me get back to work before telling me how much back log I had and what an incovenience I was to them.

I'd love to go part time and I am seriously considering this as an option, if no there somewhere else.

I think I know how you feel. With all the stress with my stim cycle last month, one of the things I was most concerned about was possibly leaving my colleagues in the lurch and creating additional problems (our office is always short staffed). When I mentioned this to one of my friends she said maybe I was worrying about the wrong thing…she was probably right but I couldn’t help it.

As it turned out, I only needed a day off for EPU and for ET, things went really smoothly and I'd worried a lot unnecessarily (but unfortunately ended with BFN).

But really, getting sick is just part of life – it’s always a possibility. It might not suit employers but it really doesn’t suit employees either - it just happens! You aren’t over reacting at all, I would be really disappointed if I got a reaction like that from my boss.

Good luck with your new cycle – I have everything crossed for you. :hug:

Hi Jane, sorry to hear about the situation at work. I can also sympathise with you.

My boss originally said taking leave for IVF was fine and in fact said it was all very exciting and wished me lots of luck. BUT after the last cycle I went through in June/July he apparently whinged to another staff member behind my back that I was never there! I'm not sure what annoys me more, the fact that he's now changed his tune and is not as supportive as he originally said he would be - or that he doesn't even have the decency to talk directly to me - but would rather whine behind my back. I wish there was some easy answer - as going through the TTC jouney is difficult enough without extra hurdles like this.

Take care Jane and thinking of you. Hope it all works our for you and DH :hug:

Marg

Just ring and say your sick they dont have to know...i had the day off after they took the eggs and a day off on transfering them. They had no idea. Just get a doc certf from a gp saying you were not well...

Some ppl are really inconciderate think thats how you spell it!!!!....lol...BIG GOOD LUCK TO YOU....HAVE FAITH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Jane,

I am totally appalled about your boss's behaviour. It is absolutely disgusting.

You should definately be entitled to sick leave - if the boot was on the other foot I wonder what the reaction would be? No one elects to do IVF, when we start this roller coaster it's because often it's the lsat resort and we have no choice. It's hard enough without the added pressures of work.

For my first cycle I took 2 weeks off after the transfer, not that it did me any good as it was negative. Now I am working from home for 2 weeks as I have a project on which I alwasy do at home anyway, so I haven't been as stressed as I would be at work. If this doesn't work I am going to take 2 weeks off after the next transfer, and do nothing but relax!

Work will always be there, once something is finished, there's always something else to do. And remember, there are few people who are ever remembered for the work they do!

I think your boss needs a long cold look at reality - and less of the whinging. I really feel for you. Don't let it stress you out, as long as your DH is supportive, your boss really does come at the bottom of the pile.