How did you handle telling your employers?

Now that I know my surgery will be covered I am at the point where I need to tell my employer about my surgery. Can you please share with me any experiences you have all had and how you handled it. How do I approach it? How long do I tell them I will be out? I know with my company I have short term and long term disability but can they replace me when I'm out or do they have to hold my job for me? Just kinda nervous about this because I never had to do this before. Also, how far in advance did you tell them? Any comments or experience with this would be greatly appreciated by all. Thanks everyone and God Bless !! Susan

I don't remember how far in advance I told my employer; I think it was pretty far, like six-eight weeks, but I would say you need to tell them no less than two weeks in advance. I had planned on returning to work in two weeks, but I wasn't ready and I postponed an additional week, so I was out of work for a total of three weeks. Short-term disability is a state program. go to (www.) state.nj.us/labor/tdi/tdiindex.html# for information on eligibility, etc. My employer supplemented my state disability payments - you would have to talk to your HR department to see if your employer has a similar policy. I think the odds are against you being out so long that long term disability would kick in. As far as them having to keep your job open for you, your rights under the state and federal family and medical leave act are summarized at (www.) state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/epbam/additional/fmla-overview.htm As far as how to tell them.... My employer requires a doctor's note so my surgeon wrote a note that said that I had a medical condition that required surgery. The note included an estimated return date, which I later superceded with a second note from the doctor that stated I could return to work. I'm not the first RNY patient at my job, and I have an open relationship with my coworkers, so it wasn't a big secret. However, had I felt less comfortable, I could have told them much less. All they need to know is that a doctor said you need surgery, it's going to be on such and such date, and you'll probably be back to work on such and such date. I never for one moment expected any trouble from them, and I didn't get any, but if I had, I would not have accepted it. I had surgery to save my life. No one passes judgement on cancer patients' surgery and it makes me indignant that there are potentially people who would pass judgement on WLS. If it wasn't medically necessary, we wouldn't be doing it. Best of luck to you. I am sure everything will be fine, your company will survive your absence, and in the long run both the company and your career in general will benefit from your increased confidence and energy.

I am an executive assistant with 3 bosses. I sat all 3 of them down at once and told them that I was having a few health problems and I was going to be getting gastric bypass surgery. I have a very good relationship with my bosses so it wasn't too big of a problem. I told them once I had my surgery date set. In my office, the four of us are always constantly running around, so I figured it would be best to just have one meeting with them so we could make a plan about what would happen when I was out. I told them I would be out for a week and a 1/2 to 2 weeks tops. Talk to your doctor and ask him how long he expects you to be out. I had my surgery laprascopically so I had a quicker recovery than other people in my office who had open. I had my surgery on August 19th (a thursday) and was back to work Monday Aug. 30th, though I did have to leave a little early for the first two weeks because I was very tired and still recovering. I may have pushed myself a little too far at first, so make sure you take your time coming back to work. After you speak with your Boss you might want to pay HR a visit. They will know the correct procedure for this. My company didn't require a doctor's note, but yours might. Find out if you can take a medical leave of absence or if you need to use your PTO days. Good luck!!!!

Susan I am a teacher and was lucky because I only missed 6 days of school. I waited until a month before I was scheduled for surgery to tell my principal. I told him that I might be having surgery on June 9 due to health issues. I told him a week before I was scheduled that I would be out of school. At first I was not going to tell him but decided it was better to hear it from me. I then told him what I was having done. Now I tell everyone. Hope everything works out for you at work. Kathy

I told my supervisor ( in writing) that I was going for a "medical procedure" and will be out of work for 6-8 weeks. I then got the note from the surgeon and it had me out for 6 weeks, I submitted that. I know I could go back in two weeks but I have three weeks sick time that I am taking. It is not their business to ask what type of procedure, one co-worker (one I chose not to tell that I was getting the bypass) did ask me what I was getting done and I told her "oh just a medical procedure". It is up to you to tell who you want to tell what. You do not have to tell anyone about the operation that you dont want to. "Medical Procedure" kinda shut those up that might ask further. Good luck post op 3 days 9/27/04