Almost ready for surgery and just got new job. HELP!

[Neoflasher 3]

I just need to have my endoscopy which is scheduled for June 13th to complete all of my requierements to submit everything to my insurance. I have been unemployed for about 1yr and just yesterday I was hired for a new job to start this coming monday. I need some feedback from you guys. #1. Should I tell my new employer about the surgery and risk being let go. #2. Should I just keep quiet about it and try and have surgery on a Friday and return to work on Monday. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. This job pays very well if not I would just not worry. Thanks in advance guys.

[nienie 113]

First off what surgery are you having? Second, what kind of job are you working and what job requirements? I can't imagine having surgery Friday and going to work Monday- I was in the hospital for four days and then I was off work for six weeks. I probably could have gone back at the month mark but prior to that no way. I work as a nurse and 12 hour shifts so that wasn't an option. I would highly doubt you will feel good enough to go to work Monday so if I were you I would tell your employer and see if you can start a week or two later then your start date.

[Neoflasher 3]

I am having a RNY gastric bypass. I still don't have a surgery date. My paperwork has not even been sent to insurance yet. My surgery will probably be in about a month or two. By then I will be there for that amount of time. The job is in marketing and sales. I will not be doing any heavy lifting. Will be visiting clients but do not have to go to the office on a daily basis.

[nienie 113]

I really think I would let my employer know. I always have been told that if you have something coming up where you might need some time off you should let them know when they hire you. You would hate to have surgery have complications and be out work for a long time and they didn't even know you were having surgery. If you have a very sedative job most can go back about 2 weeks. Most surgeons will suggest week in a half to two weeks. I just know that there is alot that happens after surgery and trying to get fluids in, Vitamins in and just feeling like you have energy to do anything is about all i did for the first week. Although you usually don't even start vitamins until a couple weeks post. When people have their appendix or gallbladder out they usually need to be off work for 2 weeks. I would really discuss this with your surgeon and see what he recommends but I know realistically that you will need more then two days post surgery.

[Jacqueline K 93]

Go back in 2 days? No way honey. I had mine Thursday and so that would be like me going in tomorrow! Ain't going to happen. I still walk very slow and careful and kind of hunched over. I am so tired I'm sleeping nearly around the clock.

You will need more time than that. I'm taking all this week off and will go back June 10th and I'm worried that won't be enough time. Luckily I do have a desk job and do nothing but sit.

[Neoflasher 3]

I will let my manager know as soon as I meet him after orientation. I just hope they aren't like.."we are going to have to let you go". Lol Monday and Tuesday are orientation and first real day at work will be wednesday June 5th. I will probably have a month or two under my belt with the company by the time surgery comes around. Thanks for the replies so far.

[terry1118 1,274]

Go back in 2 days? No way honey. I had mine Thursday and so that would be like me going in tomorrow! Ain't going to happen. I still walk very slow and careful and kind of hunched over. I am so tired I'm sleeping nearly around the clock.

You will need more time than that. I'm taking all this week off and will go back June 10th and I'm worried that won't be enough time. Luckily I do have a desk job and do nothing but sit.

I don't think your surgeon would clear you for work either. You would still be on narcotic medications, and you will have driving and physical restrictions. Generally you need 2-4 weeks for recovery, although my surgeon leans more towards 3 weeks. This is major abdominal surgery!

[sarjblack 29]

If I was your employer I would want to know ahead of time. I would rather wait a week or two then run the risk of loosing a new employee that I spent not only time but money on the hiring process.

[Neoflasher 3]

It is a group of 5 that is starting out of over 30 interviewed. I'm afraid they will say "take care". If I start and they see my performance then they wont want to loose me is what I think.

[GG'sArtsMom 42]

Personally, I don't think I'd tell them. In a month or two you are only required to produce paperwork that says you will be having abdominal surgery, they don't have to know it was pre-planned. If I hired you and found out that just around the time you'd be settling into the job you would be out for a month, I would rethink paying to orientate you.

And, as everyone said, no way can you go back in 3 days!

[futuremrsparker 288]

Just be honest! Tell him that you're so excited and appreciative to have the new position, but ask if you may have a later start date because you had surgery scheduled. Don't specify what surgery, just say the surgery cannot wait. Make sure he or she knows how appreciative you are that they hired you, but be very apologetic for the timing of surgery vs. start date.

[Jeepchick42 193]

I think most employers realize that people have lives outside of their offices. I had been hired at a job and told the woman that hired me that I had already booked a vacation for a week, 2 months after I started. It wasn't an issue. I think if your honest with them it won't be an issue. I mean what's the difference between this and if you had to have surgery on your knee. Also you don't need to tell your employer what type of surgery your having. Just say its personal. It's against HIPPA for them to push any further. However your HR rep will probably know because of the insurance documentation.

[Ms_Kb718 22]

Whether you tell them now or right before surgery, they are not obligated to hold your job while you are out. You are having a medically necessary surgery, but it is elective and pre-planned and I think they may hold it against you for not telling them. Is it a large company? Do you have a contact in HR that you dealt with during the hiring process that you can talk to? I don't know about your insurance, but my approval is good for a year. Since you already have a start date I would talk to HR and your boss and tell them that you need to have a medically necessary surgery but you are waiting for pre-certification from your insurance company so you don't have an actual surgery date. Get their feedback as to when would be a good time for you to take 2-3 weeks off to recover and schedule surgery based on their feedback. Maybe by asking for their input and "permission" (for lack of a better word) they will be more receptive.

In 2010 I started a new job on April 5th. I received insurance approval for my LapBand at the end of April and surgery was scheduled for May 21st. Three weeks after starting my job, II spoke with my boss and I explained to her that I was having outpatient laparoscopic surgery and that it was scheduled on Friday May 21st and that I could be back to work the following Monday, but I wanted to let her know in case I had some sort of complications. I also offered to push the surgery back to a date that was better for the floor ( it was a hospital). She was very understanding and told me that I could take the whole week off if I got a note from my doctor. I ended up only taking Monday off because I felt fine going back to my desk job. Now I know that RNY is a far cry from getting a LapBand, but my point is that I spoke openly with her and asked for input and she was very receptive.

I am also hoping I don't have a similar problem. I received an email last week from a state government job I applied for 7 months ago. It said that I was placed in the "best qualified" category and that I will be called for an interview. This is a great job with great pay and benefits and I have been trying to get a Federal or State government job for years. My husband and I are praying that they continue to move slow and don't contact me for an interview until a few weeks after my surgery on June 21st.

Good luck. I'm sure everything will work out.

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[iamworthit 208]

Whether you tell them now or right before surgery' date=' they are not obligated to hold your job while you are out. You are having a medically necessary surgery, but it is elective and pre-planned and I think they may hold it against you for not telling them. Is it a large company? Do you have a contact in HR that you dealt with during the hiring process that you can talk to? I don't know about your insurance, but my approval is good for a year. Since you already have a start date I would talk to HR and your boss and tell them that you need to have a medically necessary surgery but you are waiting for pre-certification from your insurance company so you don't have an actual surgery date. Get their feedback as to when would be a good time for you to take 2-3 weeks off to recover and schedule surgery based on their feedback. Maybe by asking for their input and "permission" (for lack of a better word) they will be more receptive.

In 2010 I started a new job on April 5th. I received insurance approval for my LapBand at the end of April and surgery was scheduled for May 21st. Three weeks after starting my job, II spoke with my boss and I explained to her that I was having outpatient laparoscopic surgery and that it was scheduled on Friday May 21st and that I could be back to work the following Monday, but I wanted to let her know in case I had some sort of complications. I also offered to push the surgery back to a date that was better for the floor ( it was a hospital). She was very understanding and told me that I could take the whole week off if I got a note from my doctor. I ended up only taking Monday off because I felt fine going back to my desk job. Now I know that RNY is a far cry from getting a LapBand, but my point is that I spoke openly with her and asked for input and she was very receptive.

I am also hoping I don't have a similar problem. I received an email last week from a state government job I applied for 7 months ago. It said that I was placed in the "best qualified" category and that I will be called for an interview. This is a great job with great pay and benefits and I have been trying to get a Federal or State government job for years. My husband and I are praying that they continue to move slow and don't contact me for an interview until a few weeks after my surgery on June 21st.

Good luck. I'm sure everything will work out.

Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk[/quote']

Family medical leave act FMLA protects a job for 12 weeks. Get the paperwork signed ahead of time and you'll be fine.

[Neoflasher 3]

Family medical leave act FMLA protects a job for 12 weeks. Get the paperwork signed ahead of time and you'll be fine.

What paperwork? Signed by surgeon or new employer? ....never mind. I am not covered. In order for this you have to have worked for the employer. This is a new job.