Top surgery and work

[j17]

I'm completely stealth at work (or at least I think I am) and I am scheduled to have surgery in a few months. I work in retail and I've only worked there for about 6 months. Our schedules at work go out 3 weeks, so I will definitely tell them at least three weeks before my surgery. Is there anyway for me to do this and remain stealth? For those of you that have had surgery, what was your experience with work like?

[Shortman]

If you feel you need to go into more detail than "I need some sugery", gynecomastia correction is the male equivalent to top surgery.  Google it, read up on it, and you're good to go.  I'd suggest just leaving it as "I need some surgery, I can work again on this date", then have gynecomastia as the reason if they press for detail.

Shortman

[tvc15]

I didn't even want to mention gynecomastia. I told my boss "I have to have a medical procedure and the doctor said I'd have to take about three weeks off." My boss didn't ask about specifics (they're not allowed to) but he knew "medical procedure" meant surgery. He asked if it was serious, and I said, "Nah, this should hopefully take care of it for good and then I won't have to worry anymore." Then he told me about a surgery he'd just had and how he was allergic to the painkillers and was throwing up all the time. And I also said "I don't want other people to freak out and think I'm dying or anything so I'm just going to tell everyone else I'm going on vacation."

[Bastian]

When I was being interviewed for a job (that I got but some crap happened at the store so they couldn't hire me) I told them "I may need to go in for surgery for my health. Will that be a problem?"and I was told no, that was no problem, our health comes first. So I would just tell you're boss "I have to go in for a surgery for my health, I will be unable to work from so and so but will be able to return to work at _x_." They may say you need a doctor's note, just have your doctor write a very general letter so you are not outed.

[Arch]

You're in the U.S., right? As tvc15 says, employers in the U.S. can't ask for specifics but will most certainly want some kind of documentation if you are out for three days or more. Get the most general letter possible.

Be prepared for questions from coworkers, especially if you are out for any length of time. When I was about 21 or 22, I had to take a Friday off work for an abortion. I only needed the one day, and I simply told my boss I was having outpatient surgery. She apparently told people that I was having dental work done; I guess she assumed it. One person hadn't heard about the "dental work," so she asked me what kind of procedure I'd had. I (quite accurately) said that I had had a growth removed, and she actually had the nerve to ask me about the exact location of the growth! I wasn't expecting such nosiness, or I would have had a better answer ready. I just said it was in a funny place, and I laughed.

Nowadays, I would probably say something like, "Why? Are you thinking of getting one, too?" So do have an answer ready, maybe one for the concerned coworkers and one for the nosy ones.