So…a month in, all going swimmingly, my own solo duty last week and next week…then it all went wrong yesterday. A loose brick on a garden step and I’m now laid up with ice pack and compression on a badly sprained ankle.
Comms with my manager have been positive. I don’t get sick pay for the first year on my new rubbish contract but he said (by text) that he would find me work in the DO so I’m ‘not out of pocket’. Obvs I can sit on a frame or IPS to sort/prep, but I can’t see that lasting till my 1430 cut off time. I’m willing to work, but clearly won’t be out on a duty for at least a week. There’s a face-to-face chat tomorrow AM which involves an accident form, apparently. Is there any likelihood of ‘you can’t do the job we pay you for, so here’s your week’s notice’? I hope not, as it’s turned out to be a much better job than expected.
They can’t fire you but they can put you on statutory sick pay which isn’t ideal. Hopefully they let you just do a bit indoors and go home so you still get your pay til you’re better.
How many deliveries aren't leaving the building at all on a daily?
If it's at least 5 or 6 that's plenty of prep work to keep you busy, especially if you don't know the frames.
Depending on how well your office is run there will be plenty of other things you could be tasked with,
-Sweeping the callers for items that have exceeded their retention times and RTS
-Sort out any piles of poorly addressed stuff, postcode checking etc and getting them to the right walk.
-Sorting and trying up deads and missorts to send back to the MC - people often love someone on light duties to take care of those admin tasks for them
-Extracting expired redirections
The list goes on.
If your place is actually a pretty tight ship, not sure what there could be to do
How many deliveries aren't leaving the building at all on a daily?
If it's at least 5 or 6 that's plenty of prep work to keep you busy, especially if you don't know the frames.
Depending on how well your office is run there will be plenty of other things you could be tasked with,
-Sweeping the callers for items that have exceeded their retention times and RTS
-Sort out any piles of poorly addressed stuff, postcode checking etc and getting them to the right walk.
-Sorting and trying up deads and missorts to send back to the MC - people often love someone on light duties to take care of those admin tasks for them
-Extracting expired redirections
The list goes on.
If your place is actually a pretty tight ship, not sure what there could be to do
Turns out, there was plenty! Two days of getting to know other frames and IPS, and finally sussing out my DO’s colour coding system for postcodes - a really useful bit of time to poke around the DO and figure out the primary/secondary/frame sorting system and AM/PM split of priorities and activity. Plus, the occupational health and H&S bits have swung into action, including the H&S rep visiting the property where I went arse over tit. A half duty tomorrow AM, to ease back into things. All in all, it was how things should be done - but it will be good to get back out on a duty!
