Subject:
RE: Sick leave Richard Mann
From:
Karen Parkinson <kparkinson@uwaterloo.ca>
Date:
12/20/21, 8:51 PM
To:
Richard Mann <mannr@uwaterloo.ca>

Hello Richard,

Yes we can wait until the new year when you contact your physician.

Take care,

Karen

 

From: Karen Parkinson
Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2021 1:24 PM
To: Richard Mann <mannr@uwaterloo.ca>
Subject: RE: Sick leave Richard Mann

 

Thanks Richard. I have received your message and will get back to you Monday.

 

From: Richard Mann <mannr@uwaterloo.ca>
Sent: Friday, December 17, 2021 7:54 PM
To: Karen Parkinson <kparkinson@uwaterloo.ca>
Subject: FW: Sick leave Richard Mann

 

 

                                                    Dec 17, 2021
Dear Karen Parkinson PhD RN

On 12/16/21 6:43 PM, Karen Parkinson wrote:

    Hello Richard,

     

    Thank you for your email.

 

    At this time, we require a medical update to better understand the prognosis for returning to work. Currently your physician stated “until further notice”.

 

    Please have this sick leave form completed by your physician, and returned by January 4th, 2022.


The form is confusing.

First, the nature of my illness, that is already described in the original Doctors' note.  It is not clear what additional information is required on that form.  Are you asking for additional information on this form?  If so what information?


The second is the return date.  Surely my Doctor will write that this is still unknown.

In fact I would argue that we are farther from a return to work.
The more time/ energy and stress I have to spend dealing with your  request, the farther I am set back.
In particular, since receiving a letter from my former FAUW colleague (Dec 10, 2021) and composing my latest reply to you (Dec 17, 2021), I have been 100% diverted from my activities, and further, stressed and unable to move forward.  So this exercise has already cost me one week of intense stress for no benefit to either me or the institution.

My proposal is, and remains, that my Doctor and I will decide when I am ready to return and we will contact you with concrete steps toward that end.

As for the deadline (Jan 4, 2022) filling out the form, I will likely not be able to achieve that.
I called the Doctor today and there was no way to get through or even leave a message (I made a recording of this, for the record).  Further I received independent email from my Doctors office that they are currently overloaded.  There is no capacity to leave messages or make further appointments using their online system.
 
I suggest that I contact my doctor early in the new year, but after your Jan 4th date.

In the meantime, for transparency and trust, I request that you include me in all future correspondence concerning my case.

I am also asking acknowledgement/ return receipt of this message.

Sincerely,
  Richard Mann



 

    Thank you, Karen


Sincerely,
  Richard Mann

     

    Stay safe,

     

    Karen Parkinson, RN, COHN(C) She/Her

    Occupational Health Nurse, Interim Manager

    Occupational Health, COM 115 (working remotely)

    Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext 40538|Confidential Fax: (519) 888-4377

    occupationalhealth@uwaterloo.ca

    Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP) 1-800-663-1142  Homeweb.ca

     

    covid self-assessment tool

     

    Region of Waterloo Testing centres

     

    Testing Assessment Centre at UW

     

     

    “Self-care is not selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” ~ Eleanor Brownn

     

    From: Richard Mann <mannr@uwaterloo.ca>
    Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2021 3:35 PM
    To: Karen Parkinson <kparkinson@uwaterloo.ca>
    Subject: Re: Sick leave Richard Mann

     


    Dear Karen, please take this most recent email.
    The previous Email of Today was sent in error.

    Encl: Message

                                                                                        Dec 14, 2021
    Dear Karen Parkinson PhD RN,

    Yesterday I heard some disturbing news.  A former FAUW colleague contacted me and asked me to provide updated medical information.

    I asked how my colleague became involved and she told me the that Mark Giesbrecht, Dean of Math sent her an email saying that Occupational Health were not provided with updated medical information.

     

    The Dean went on to ask my colleague to contact me.  The implication is that if I did not provide this information I would be taken off sick leave or passed on to a third party insurer.

    I am deeply concerned about this for a number of reasons.

    First, I do not know how my Dean has become involved as I understood I was working with you (Occupational Health) on sick leave.  In particular, information should be kept confidential, unless I wish to disclose.

    Second, are you intending to remove my sick leave?

    Let me please remind you of my previous letter where I specifically stated that the requirements imposed on me cause xxxx.  Furthermore I informed you that you had a choice of whether or not to invoke standard policies.   In particular, I am referring to the "standard requirement" of monthly checks.  In the document, it is stated that this requirement "may" be imposed, as opposed to "must" be imposed.   I would like to state emphatically that a requirement of monthly checks at this time only adds to xxxxxx.  For this reason, I must request that the "standard" requirement of monthly checks be removed for my case -- in other words, please recognize the "may" in the document, as opposed to the "must". 

     

    My Proposals:

     

    As stated above, I request that the "standard" requirement of monthly checks be removed for my case - which seems to be totally in accord with the document.


    I remind you, that as I said in the Nov 25 letter, if you feel the need to have medical followup, I request that you communicate first to me by Email, and I will bring those notes to my doctor myself for their reply.

     

    If you have any problems or concerns with my proposals, may I ask that you consult with your "line manager(s)". 





    Sincerely,
      Richard Mann
    Encl: Previous letter of Nov 25, 2021