How to tell my manager about a surgery without it going around the company?

Hopefully next week I will be having a very personal female surgery. I have a main manager and then about 5 supervisors under her that would have to know about it. It's pretty embarrassing and I'm worried that everyone in my company would find out about it, even if I told leadership not to say anything. So I am stressing quite a bit. What's a good way to word it to where I don't have to disclose exactly what the surgery is?

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NativePortlander1970

Go straight to HR and ask for a private meeting, let them know it needs to be considered discreet, they do not need to know the details, I am giving You this advice as a former manager myself.

Mardrae · 56-60, F

@NativePortlander1970 oh, it doesn't work like that at my job. Everyone knows everyone's business. I remember years ago when an employee went privately to his team leader to tell him he had to have hemroid ( sp) surgery. Everyone in the company was making jokes about it. Most of my coworkers and supervisors are at least 25 years younger than me and they all love to gossip.

NativePortlander1970

@Mardrae By federal medical laws it is illegal for them to disclose anything like that, it does work like that.

Mardrae · 56-60, F

@NativePortlander1970 hopefully I won't have to disclose anything too personal about the surgery then

NativePortlander1970

@Mardrae Just go to HR and let them know You need personal time off for medical reasons, then leave it at that, if they wish to press You further, tell them to discuss it with your lawyer.

Mardrae · 56-60, F

@NativePortlander1970 my company is on a point system, so if I use my sick time, I won't get paid for it like I would if I used my PTO hours. So I'm not sure what to do because I can't afford to not use PTO

NativePortlander1970

@Mardrae Discuss this with HR, if I remember right, medical leave is separate from PTO, because it's something that cannot be avoided.

Mardrae · 56-60, F

@NativePortlander1970 yes, it definitely is different. I had Covid a couple of months ago and had to take 5 days off. I get 2 days off a week, so I tried using 3 PT0 hours and one of my assistant team leaders told me to change it to sick time and I didn't get paid for it. So I don't know how much time I will have to take off for this type surgery but I can't do more than one or two days if I use sick time because I don't get paid for it.

NativePortlander1970

@Mardrae You should be getting paid for sick leave.