Employment in the UK whilst very well protected compared to other countries is still insecure. The rights of the employee are being erroded again and being on long term sick makes an employee a natural target, especially in a depressed economy. I have no doubt that if I still lived and worked in the UK my employers would have got rid of me very quickly. If I had stayed I would have only had a maximum of 4 weeks enhanced sick pay and then the remainder on SSP. My previous employer would have given me up to 6 months.
However, here in Germany, because I left my job to live here with my wife – she had found work here at a far higher renumeration than we could have hoped for in the UK – and I was diagnosed before I could find work here, I get nothing. Nothing from the UK in the way of jobseekers allowance or disability benefit and nothing from Germany because I have not contributed to the system.
As someone said previously, once you have this illness, expect all your savings to go because you will not work for a very long time, if ever.
Now back to employment in the UK. We have to remember that companies are not charities, the private sector is there to create wealth for the investors. The public sector is accountable to the tax payer and the government is doing everything to reduce costs at the moment. It is a very lucky employee from what ever position in the hierarchy to have an employer that keeps them on. Before anyone thanking their good fortune, they need to wait until everything is overand they are back in full tiome work.
'It's not over until the fat Lady sings'
Willisboy 11 years ago.
