An accident, cancer or burn-out can justify long-term work stoppage. Recovery is often a source of both personal and professional concerns. Setting up the right organizations is essential to avoid any relapse – 46% of employees on leave for more than 90 days go on to take another leave due to poor reintegration into the company*.
1. Reworking is anticipated
Doctors and patients testify to this: returning to work is an important step in healing, beneficial resocialization. To make this recovery go as smoothly as possible, there is only one piece of advice: prepare. After a long absence, a therapeutic part-time (or therapeutic part-time) can be offered by your treating doctor to gradually rehabilitate you to the rhythm of professional life. The disease can cause temporary or lasting fatigue.
To know. You can test your ability to work in your position or see if a retraining would be necessary with the device the framed essay, for a maximum duration of 14 days, renewable once. During this test, you remain on sick leave and continue to receive your daily allowances. It is set up at your request, at the request of occupational medicine, or of the Health Insurance social service.
2. Keep in touch with your employer
In addition to informal contacts with your manager or colleagues, a liaison meeting can be useful for discussing, in the presence of occupational medicine, and starting to plan, together, about your return and possible measures to adapt your job and/or working time. This appointment can be initiated at your request or that of the employer for stops of more than 30 days.
To know. It is not obligatory and can be declined.
3. Request a pre-resumption visit
Before the end of your work stoppage, it is recommended to (re)contact occupational medicine during a pre-resumption appointment. It allows you to take stock of your abilities to rework and to concretely approach its modalities.
To know. With your authorization – because the interview remains protected by medical confidentiality – the doctor then contacts your employer to make the necessary arrangements.
4. Return visit, a must
Mandatory after a break of more than 30 days, the return visit is organized by your employer within eight days of your return. The occupational doctor determines whether you are fit to return to your position and setsbased on the prescriptions of your attending physician, according to what provisions.
To know. If he declares you suitable, you must return to your position (or similar position) and equivalent remuneration.
5. Plan arrangements (time, materials, etc.)
The needs for adjustments must be indicated by the occupational physician, in his opinion of suitability. They can relate to working time and its organization (part time, avoid night work or full days, etc.), on limitation of handling efforts (carrying heavy loads, etc.), the provision of suitable equipment (ergonomic seat, soundproofing work on the station, etc.).
To know. Your employer is required to respect them, but maintains latitude regarding their implementation, particularly regarding the organization of working time. In the event of disagreement, the occupational physician can arbitrate.
6. What remuneration?
During part-time therapeutic work, in principle, your resources are equivalent to your full time. Your employer pays a salary proportional to the number of hours worked and you continue to receive daily allowances paid by Health Insurance. However, the accumulation cannot exceed your previous salary. You may be able to benefit from additional remuneration through your company’s pension plan.
You continue to acquire paid leave during a work stoppage due to illness or accident, even non-professional (decision of the Court of Cassation September 13, 2023) as well as all the benefits linked to your employment contract: mutual insurance, participation, etc.
To know. Therapeutic half-time cannot in principle exceed one year. If your need for reduced working hours continues beyond that, you will have to consider disability, to be requested from health insurance with the support of your attending physician.
7. Request a job adjustment at any time
It is possible to request a job adjustment (adapted equipment, teleworking, schedule adjustment, etc.) due to a health problem without having gone through a long-term work stoppage. Gather medical documents and team recommendations who is following you and request an appointment with the occupational doctor. He will determine your needs and communicate them to your employer.
8. The employer can refuse therapeutic part-time work
Provided, however, that you have a legitimate reason (e.g.: detrimental consequences on the smooth running of the company, disorganization of the service). In this case, you must be informed of the opposition from your employer as well as the occupational doctor. The attending physician can then continue the sick leave until you are able to return to your full-time position. You may also be temporarily moved to another position. If the occupational physician finds that no adjustment, adaptation or transformation of the occupied workstation is possible, he can declare you unfit to resume your position. In this case, the employer has a reclassification obligation. If this is not possible, he will have to dismiss you for incapacity.
9. Apply for recognition as a disabled worker
If your illness reduces your professional abilities or requires adjustments to your working conditions, it is recommended to request recognition of the status of disabled worker (RQTH) from the departmental center for disabled people (MDPH) where you live. You remain free to inform your employer. It allows you to benefit from a more protective status, help to adapt your position (material and organizational) and benefit from your company’s disability agreement, if there is one (time for your medical appointments). , taxi for trips, etc.).
Rebuilding takes time
“We offer return-to-work support programs for people affected by illness. It is not easy for them to plan ahead after being away from work for a long time. They feel isolated, disconnected from professional issues. And above all, they don’t know what they can ask for to return to work in good conditions. Professional reconstruction takes time and requires adjustments.”
Thanks to Sophie Caruso, founder of Niaque.
“I had difficulty finding my rhythm and my place”
“In the space of three years, I have been affected by two cancers. The first time, I returned to therapy part-time and full-time the second time because I had no choice in terms of preserving my salary. Despite the welcome from my colleagues, I had difficulty finding my rhythm and my place. I would have needed more time. I did not undertake the process of Recognition of the status of disabled worker (RQTH) due to lack of information. In my opinion, the business world is not yet sufficiently aware of the return to employment of people with long-term illness..“
Sandrine, 52 years old, digital communications manager.
“I am 100% teleworking”
“I suffer fromendometriosis. I was able to benefit from a job adjustment because I am in a company that is very concerned about the well-being of its employees. But the process is not easy to undertake. I sometimes felt diminished by the illness, not justified in asking for certain arrangements. However, many of us reconcile active life and chronic illness.”
Pauline, 33 years old, consultant.
Where to get information?
- The Health Insurance Social Service: 36 46 (cost of a local call).
- The social service of your occupational medicine.
- ALLO Alex, free telephone line developed by Wecare@work: 0800 400 310 (Monday to Friday from 9 p.m. to 5 p.m.)
- The Niaque association offers support programs for returning to employment for people affected by the illness. (la-niaque.org)
* 12th Ayming barometer – AG2R The World Absenteeism and Engagement – 2020
Read also :
⋙ Sick leave: the rules to know
⋙ False sick leave: what you risk
⋙ Work accidents: why are they increasing so much among women?