Q and A

Question

Can I take time off work as sick leave for side effects?

Is it possible to be signed off work sick by your doctor, if suffering badly with side effects when starting meds? More importantly is it possible to be signed off with out giving away any details of HIV status?

Answer

Thank you for your question.

I am sorry to hear you are having a terrible time with side effects. If you are feeling unwell then you should definitely take the time to rest and get better before going back to work. Your health is the most important thing.

Taking time off as sick leave is individual to each employer and you should read what it says in your contract. Most contracts say that if you are off for more than 2 weeks you need to produce a note from the doctor. If this is the case with your current employer then speak to your HIV consultant and ask them to produce a doctor’s note that doesn’t specify you are HIV positive.

You have a right to confidentiality and your doctor can’t tell your employer you are HIV positive without your permission. Ask your doctor to write you are having trouble with sickness and diarrhoea or something along those lines. They are not lying and you are still protected.

For information about side effects please follow this link to our ‘Guide to Avoiding and Managing Side Effects’. If you want any further information on starting treatment then you may also find the i-Base ‘Introduction to Combination Therapy’ guide useful. Alternatively you can call the phoneline (Mon-Wed 12-4pm).

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