Looking for Help Navigating Work Challenges with MS

Hi all,

I’m reaching out because I’m feeling quite overwhelmed and unsure where to turn next.

Since starting my current job last year, I’ve faced ongoing bullying, exclusion, and a very harsh corporate culture. My manager hasn’t made any effort to understand my MS and keeps sending me to Occupational Health, only to disregard their recommendations afterwards. It’s been humiliating at times and has really affected my confidence.

My MS was completely stable before this job, but the stress has caused repeated flare‑ups. I’ve been off sick several times, and I’m currently in my longest period of sickness ever due to a bad flare and rising anxiety.

I’d really appreciate advice on what support the MS Society offers around employment issues, rights at work, or dealing with unsupportive employers. Any shared experiences would also be really helpful.

Thank you so much.

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Hi Blue’ sorry to hear that. A good manager can make somewhere a really good place to work. A knob can make it horrible :confused:

You do have legal protections at work so, for now at least, start keeping a record of everything that happens, including names,dates and times.

It’s probably worth letting OH know what’s going on at work now.

Also, It couldn’t hurt to have a quiet word with ACAS just to have them on standby incase things developed any further.

Good luck - take care x

Jon.

Hi @bluesky6

The MS Society has a helpline which offers legal advice on things like this. I would contact them. If you search on the MS Society website, it will come up.

Wishing you well, your manager sounds awful.

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Here’s the link :slight_smile:

https://www.mssociety.org.uk/living-with-ms/financial-help/legal-advice

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That sounds a very tough situation for you. One thing I would say: keep notes on what is happening. For instance, you say that there have been Occupational Health referrals and recommendations that have not been implemented. If it all gets messy, that kind of information about what happened when could be very useful. I assume that you are not in a trade union. Do you have a relationship with HR? While they are primarily working for the management, they also have a duty of care to you as an employee and a role in reminding your boss that he/she has a duty of care to you also.
In your shoes, I would want to make sure that I understood what my contract of employment had to say about sickness and incapacity absences and make sure I understood where I was in all that.
The good news for the day (sort of) is that the more flagrant the departures from legal obligations and their own procedures, the more likely it is that their lawyers will tell them to settle generously and fast, if its comes to a contested dismissal (and it does sound as though your boss is trying to edge you out the door). But that doesn’t stop it all being really horrible for you right now

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