I have PPMS. I am in a continual battle at work with two of my colleagues. They both constantly moan that they are cold at work and have the heating on. I sit at my desk sweating away and feeling very irritable. I ask that it can be turned down or off, they just scoff that they are cold so no. It got to the point this week, that I almost walked out due to this.
I was just wondering if there is actually a legal stance on this. As I know it has been proven people with MS do suffer from a sensitivity to heat. With the hotter weather fast approaching I know i will need the air conditioning on. But that will probably be moaned about as they are always cold.
TBH I would be resisting the urge to be saying “well put on a ****ing cardigan you daft bat” but that’s probably a bad idea Seriously, raise it with your management. A fan or similar would probably count as a reasonable adjustment.
Remember that in a few years time then the last thing they will want is to put the heating up! I worked with a woman in her mid-50s who was eccentric to begin with but when she hit the menapause we were “treated” to her regular moans and groans about the heat with her sitting on in an open plan office with her legs wide apart fanning her nether revions with her voluminous kaftan style skirt! Very disconcerting indeed!!!
I’m certain your employer has a duty of care to look after your wellbeing in the workplace. A desk fan is the very least you could expect and some consideration from your co-workers would be desirable! Have you spoken to your colleagues and employer about your MS and why this is an issue?
This from the ACAS website:
“Legally, employers must abide by relevant health & safety and employment law, as well as the common law duty of care. They also have a moral and ethical duty not to cause, or fail to prevent, physical or psychological injury, and must fulfil their responsibilities with regard to personal injury and negligence claims.”
If this is impacting enough to make you feel like walking out it is clearly psychologically detrimental as well as being physically uncomfortable. I would try to speak to your manager and also to your colleagues, although tbh they sound rather selfish
I hope your keeping as well as can be expected, something that has never ceased to amaze me is how selfish and uncaring people can be ( I suppose as an ex cop I should have got used to it but people never cease to disappoint me).
Re the legal stand point there is the equalities act 2010 which encompasses a wide range of statute
the Equal Pay Act 1970
the Sex Discrimination Act 1975
the Race Relations Act 1976
the Disability Discrimination Act 1995
the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003
the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003
the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006
the Equality Act 2006, Part 2
the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 200
There are three main categories under the act which you could look into;
Direct discrimination,
Indirect discrimination
Discrimination arising from disability.
This is not an inclusive list but its a starting point, most employers when confronted with equality legislation tend to play nice.
I suggest you have a look at the ACAS site its very user friendly and clear,In the first instance you could approach your employer and raise your concerns, though its easy for me to state the law and give advice from both the comfort of my living room and years of operating in a law environment. In reality it can be stressful and distressing it also takes courage to stand up for your rights against from what you have described seems to me as concealed bullying.
Its just a shame your work mates are so insensitive and appear to lack common human compassion, you have enough to deal with. I do hope that things work out, as we know what a bugger MS is.
All the very very best Chris. ( yep your right I despise bullying of any sort).
One of my very first symptoms of my MS was heat intolerance, although at the time i had no idea why i was so hot. My office was like an OVEN. I asked for fans or anything to make me comfortable. At the time time i spoke to ACAS, there was nothing they could do about it, now if it was the OTHER way around TOO cold, then i had a case.
I am surprised your employers allow such a waste of gas. I mean this is summer right? How cold can they be. I would take in a thermometer and see just how warm it is. Maybe you could speak to your employers. Just say, you are baking hot, its hard to work, is there a need for the heating on?
Even without MS, NORMAL people would be hot.
Now i have to endure this everyday of my life. My husband has COPD through smoking and is constantly cold, wants the fire on, so i tell him to wear a thick gardigan and thermals.
Its so difficult to work when your hot.
I ended up buying myself a small desk fan, it was bliss lol.
Getting the temperature right is so difficult and so crucial. In the winter, my legs go like ice. In the summer my legs go like ice. But if I sit in the sun for any length of time, especially if it is shining through the window, I turn into Mr Floppy.
I’m sure I’m not the only person who sits in the heat with the fan on and a blanket over his legs. I think that the fan is a good starting point. There is more you can follow up on as suggested by Fugazi.
Hi, if your awkward colleagues moan about the fan, ask them to turn the heating off. Explain your incurable disease. Your Consultant has insisted your symptoms will worsen when hot & your body needs to be cooler. The colleagues won’t have a Consultant saying their body must be hot. A Thermometer is a great idea.
This MS Society does lots of publications about all aspects of MS including employers responsibility for MS employees AND another for employees. I’ve put a link below & hope it works.
If not, go to the home page & search publications. You’ll be able to download or order the hard copies of the entire range of MS booklets. https://www.mssociety.org.uk/node/691196
Seriously, raise it with your management. A fan or similar would probably count as a reasonable adjustment.