Feeling guilty being signed off sick from work

Everyday living
1

I know this is a silly worry but I’ve had a terrible cold/cough which has lasted for 5 weeks . At the start of the week I saw the doctor as was sick of not sleeping due to endless cough and feeling really ill. I got a note for lower respiratory infection and being tested for pneumonia.

This is my third occasion off sick in a rolling 12 month period so it’ll be the start of disaplinary when I return. I have RRMS, and where I work they are really strict on sickness. Last time I was off I asked to have a slightly relaxed absence trigger as a reasonable adjustment but they said no.

Anyone had anything similar. Ive had so much stuff going on in my life I imagine Ive been run down (ailing parents, troubled teenager, money worries).

My argument will be that as I have a compromised immune system I’m always going to be more prone to sickness. Disability discrimination etc etc.

I have spoken to my union reps and they are rubbish. For context I work for a large high street bank.

2

Hey, it doesn’t sound like your employer is being very fair. At the end of the day, your doctor has signed you off sick, and us MSers tend to not only get more coldd/flu but often suffer worse. I would just enjoy the time to rest, recover, and not feel guilty.

3

That sounds very difficult for you and they sound like an unsympathetic lot.
Do you know in detail what your employer’s sickness/incapacity policies are? They form part of your contract of employment, so you should have access to them in your employee handbook/company intranet or whatever. If you are not familiar with them, you should find out. Second, have you had any contact with HR and, through them, your company’s occupational health advisor (they will probably have one)? Their prime responsibility is to your employer, but they also have a duty of care to you and they can be useful allies, believe it or not. Finally, if your local rep is no use, you should still be able to get advice from your TU’s legal department on where you stand. Perhaps via your Full Time Officer?

Good luck, and get well soon.