Information For Employer

Everyday living
1

Just wondering if theres information anywhere that can be printed off specifically for Employers on how MS can affect an employee with MS.

I ask this because even though my company have been very good in “trying” to understand how my MS affects me, I can sometimes see that when I have an “how are are doing” review, I’m repeating the same old stuff each time, it does feel that as nice as they are, they just don’t get it !

It is so difficult to explain the symptoms of MS to someone who’s body is working as it should.

So I’m thinking the next time I’m called in to “see how things are” & “what can we do to help”, I can say politely “same as usual, but please have a read of that to maybe get a better understanding” !

2

jactac that is a good plan. take a look at the fact sheets from MS Trust, they have such a wide range and there must be one that you can use. good luck, stay strong carole x

1 Like
3

the question should be ‘how is the m.s. affecting me in the workplace’ - if it is having a negative impact then those issues need addressing e.g. you want to be able to park near the entrance, not have many steps to negotiate, proximity to toilets.

4

The issues you mention do get looked at if raised.

During these “reviews” theres usually 4 people present, myself, my manager, the Health & Safety manager and the HR manager.

Plenty of notes are usually taken in these reviews by the HR manager and Health & Safety manager, but my direct manager, although seems to listen I just don’t think it’s being absorbed.

His silence speaks volumes.

For instance, last week everyone in our office had a “one to one Job role review” with this manager, where we had to set out our goals, ambitions, achievements ect ect , during this review we could raise any concerns regarding our roles, one of my concerns is the extra amount testing that is coming through to me, which means a lot more walking to our lab from our office, it’s not a huge distance but by the end of the day it’s all mounted up and I’m absolutely finished & wiped out , so whilst I was explaining all of this, my manager was nodding his head like it was on a spring and taking some notes, so I was confident that maybe he would alter things to suit.

Or maybe not !

After I had finished explaining how the MS gets worse through out the day as I try to walk further distances, he concluded the review by telling me he would now like me to start some extra training ASAP on new lab equipment a few days a week, or even more if possible, adding that the new equipment is located in our 2nd lab, and sample testing is going to get busier.

This 2nd lab’s location is on the other side of our site, probably 3 or 4 times the walking distance to the lab that I currently use.

In all honesty I was so taken back that all I could say was Ok !!!

I’m normally fairly vocal in times like this but I was just taken completely by surprise.

After coming home and absorbing what he had said I’ve decided to introduce a bit of “extra training” for my manager, I think I’ll call it, “MS For Dummies In The Workplace” !!

So I’m going to print off some stuff, find some online links then email it all to him.