This topic contains 8 replies, has 7 voices, and was last updated by 
zasrs 13 years, 1 month ago.
Just wondering if anyone else has had any trouble with their employers with regards to sick leave. I had a disciplinary meeting last Wednesday with mine because I have had 5 episodes of sickness in the last year and this apparently is not acceptable !!! I am now not allowed to be sick for the next three months or else I will be out of a job – quite amazing considering I work for the careing NHS !!! My union rep did mention Disability discrimination Act but they weren't interested.
love Gilly xxx
Gilly the answer to that is to go on sick leave for the max you are allowed ie 6 months at a time then its only one period of sick!
do you belong to a union and if not get some advise from Macmillan advise line.
I dont know how old you are but I might think of taking early retirement and enjoying your life
MIn
Hi Gilly,
You don't say how long you have worked for them or what your contract says? BUT you are covered by the disability discrimination act and they should be prepared to make 'reasonable adjustments'.
I would suggest you or your union rep should go to Acas and ask for some guidance as you might have a strong case. Your local CAB might be able to help you too…they can often help with the legal side if you can't afford a solicitor.
Sometimes, just a little letter reminding them of their obligations as an employer can be enough to remind them of what they should be. Those rules re sick leave should be aimed at those who are swinging the lead…not people like you with a genuine illnes.
If you don't get anywhere with the CAB/ Acas, message me privately with as much detail as you can and I will get my brother in law to take a look (I and he work as HR Professionals but he is up to date where I'm not! He does all the HR for smaller businesses who can't justify their own HR staff)
Good luck with it all though
Debs x
Morning, Ive been with my employer for almost 21 years and stupidly didn't join the pension scheme . I turned 56 last birthday. If I could afford to walk away I would I just can't believe they are being so blinkered in their atitude. To make matters worse Ive now got another chest infection so tomorrow I will have to go to work ill and not do my job properly. My manager tried to say that some of my sickness is not myeloma related until I pointed out about compromised immune system. Just could do without this c**p.Still its nothing compared to what some of you guys are going through and I'm sorry I shouldn't moan it just beggars belief sometimes.
Enjoy your Sunday
Love Gilly xxxx
Hi Gilly
What has the occupational health doc said? Your manager is obviously not your physician so how should she be making a judgement of any sort?
Does the hospital you attend have a social worker attached to the oncology unit as they are usually very helpful
The caring NHS eh
Helen
Hi Gilly
Nothing surprises me these days,they have got in touch with there legal side before they approached you,I take it this stemmed from a written warning and a consultation,Well to put it bluntly they want you out,
I do not know your circumstances,or how much you need to live,but you can either fight them,but do you need all the hassle,they will inflict.
My advice is start a dairy keeping notes of dates off remarks made,by anyone and make sure you have a good union rep,if you can keep a record and report anything that is said to you to a rep,they tend not to like to be seen as to blame,if it does go to further,its not much you will get out of them,
Health wise this is the last thing you need,I wish I could help more.Eve
I'm seeing occ health on Tuesday – In September I managed to get my hours reduced to 20 per week (after applying in May) I had to wait until they could find some one to job share with me. I agree with you I think they want me out because at the meeting my manager kept emphasizing how stressful and pressurised my job is and perhaps I would be better off working in a different department. I happen to love my job (outpatient appointments supervisor) so I'm gonna go kicking and screaming. Just as well I'm not having any treatment at the moment coz then I think it would be a different story. At this meeting I was issued with my first written warning and told I would be monitored for the next 3 months. I did mention my myeloma but my manager just said that everybody has to be treated the same with regards to our trusts sickness policy. I am seeing my consultant at this hospital where I work in December – it will be interesting to hear his take on this.
Hi Gilly
Do check your organisation's sick policy When Stephen was diagnosed in November 2008. My doctor signed me off with stress due to my husband's illness.
I ran a hostel for single homeless young people with additional problems on top of having nowhere to live. Some had suffered abuse from at home, others had developed drug or alcohol problems, a few self harmed and some were just determined to get into a hostel by making up stories to get a quick road to a flat of their own.
Our job was to help them find work, and accommodation and get them back into everyday life.
Stephen had to give up work as soon as he got ill as some of his vertebrae had collapsed. He was self employed so there was no company sick pay for him.
Just after Stephen had to stop work I was working with a 23 year old male who had never worked, left school after playing truant for most of the time and had taken no exams. I was trying to find him work and encouraging him to consider some of the training courses that were on offer.
He informed me that he would not consider getting out of bed for less than £400-£500 per week,(2008) and on the same day he used the office phone to contact the DSS. He kept screaming down the phone that he was not going to attend a back to work interviw but wanted his F******g money as it was his and they had no right to withhold it. I won't even put down letters to describe the names he called the worker on the other end of the phone
I knew that I could blow my top at the people I worked with who were like him (here endeth the waffle)and my doctor signed me off. It was 2 weeks in the first place and my manageress phoned more than once to ask if I would be coming back. When I got signed off again my manager phoned me over and over to encourage me to either come back or leave.
I had worked in the company for nearly 20 years. I had always had a glowing yearly staff appraisal and my sick record had been exemplary but I got no support at all. I decided,then and there that I would leave on my terms. I claimed, full company sick pay for as long as it was there and then it went to half pay. I was frequently hassled on the phone by my manager to leave, and I refused. I claimed statutory sick pay at a worker's rate when my company sick pay ran out and limped on until March 2009 when I had my 59th birthday and retired. That extra year on my age from being 58 to being 59 made a difference to my private pension.
Gilly do check your organisition's policies and ask your Union Rep to go through the policies carefully and see just what you are entitled too. Get yourself signed off in chunks of time rather than here and there. You may be struggling in when you can but it won't be appreciated.
I was employed by a church housing that was funded by the church, council grants and donations and a less christian or carey sharey organisation would be hard to find.
It sounds as though yours is the same.
Do let us know how you get on
Good Luck Gill
PS sorry for long post but hope some of it is of help
Dear Gilly
I too worked for the NHS I took time off when Gordon was ill having treatment etc. MY GP wrote me off with stress, a month at a time, it worked well for me, I am now retired and Gordon has died wish i had retired earlier. Stick in there Gill.
Dear Gill I thought if written off sick managers were not allowed to phone you at home or hassel you, some sort of employment law, my daughter who is having a baby in april was asked when she would be returning, although she did give an answer but her employer had no right to ask by law. What a dreadful story you told, often our religous and charity employers are the worst.
All the best sarah
The topic ‘Trouble at mill’ is closed to new replies.
