I’ve been suffering with various symptoms for the last 2 years and am under investigation for possible MS at the moment (awaiting MRI).
Over the last 12 months I have had several periods of absence, some short and some longer term.
This has triggered the absence process and I am now on the last stage before they can decide to dismiss me. I’ve been told by my manager that I have until 8th March 2013 to improve my attendance or I’m out the door. They do not agree that I am covered under the DDA and are no longer willing to wait for a diagnosis as it has taken so long. Regardless of my diagnosis, even if it is MS, if my attendance has still not improved I’ll lose my job.
All of my absence has been recorded as sickness and none of it has been recorded separately in relation to my condition ( I feel this is simply because my condition does not yet have a label). I have been advised that the ‘best practice’ for many employers now means that they have to record absences relating to ongoing disabilities separately from normal sickness absence. This has not been the case and my disability absence triggered the absence policy.
My main symptoms are internal vibration, headaches, urinary issues and bowel urgency. I also have the usual weakness and sensory issues.
The only symptom which I am still struggling to cope with is the bowel urgency. I am now able to ignore and push on with the other symptoms but when the bowel urgency starts I am unable to leave the house for fear of an accident.
Part of the support agreement when I returned to work was that I could slide my shifts when I was unable to leave the house due to the bowel problems.
Early this morning the bowel urgency began again and I felt sick at the thought of having to call my manager. I finally plucked up the courage and told her the situation. I then proceeded to tell her that I would prefer today not to be noted as absence and be allowed the opportunity to work the time back next week, either by working longer hours Mon-Fri or working the full day on Saturday.
She said she was unwilling to allow me to do this as this would be masking my absence. I questioned what the ‘slide shift’ agreement was for if it was not to allow me flexibility when this symptom arose. She said that a ‘slide shift’ would mean starting my shift later that same day or leaving early if needed.
I have repeatedly explained to my manager that when the bowel urgency begins it’s not a case of knowing how long it will last and it tends to last 1-2 days at a maximum. Therefore a ‘slide shift’ to me means being able to swap my full working day for another or working longer hours to make up for the time off.
She refused to allow me to do this and today has therefore been logged as another absence. I now have myself up to high doe worrying that this one day off could mean the end of a 12 year career which I worked hard for.
Does anyone else feel that they are not giving me the right support? Should I be worried about having 1 day off when there are still 5 weeks left until they make their final decision?
I really feel sick now.