Hi All Some of you may have seen me moaning about work on here but they actually seem to be getting a soft side! I have had 3 relapses in 9 months so will be starting dmds soon and it looks like my lessions are getting bigger and badder and im feeling the effects. I asked if I would be able to reduce my hours to 4 days a week from 5 and after 3 weeks of wondering they seem to have agreed to it! I have been told they will write to me about it. Its not really something I can afford to do but fatigue is a bugger and im finding it hard to keep working 5 days a week and then some saturdays (which at the moment i seem to be getting thrown at me left right and centre) and keeping up with housework etc! Has anyone else cut down there hours and found any easy part time bits to do? I was contemplating mystery shopping but you have to be self employed to do it x
Bump
Not diagonosis yet but my gp has kept me from working my full hours for 6 months now and I am about to go down to half pay if I don’t get back to normal hours soon, it’s becoming a bit of a nightmare especially without an actual diagnosis. I haven’t managed find anything to do that would supplement my wages. But am thinking I might have to reduce my hours officially soon which I don’t really want to do. This being ill business is flipping expensive 
When I have my first relapse I had to take more than one month off , after that it was very difficult to go back working full time.
I could not afford to work part time so I asked to try working at home twice at week- (my job requires long hours in front a pc so does not really matter where I am). Surprisingly they accepted (not really happy at the beginning), initially it was not easy, you need to organise yourself very well, at the end of the day you have to prove you are working efficiently. Sometime I could not fullfill my usual tasks so I was carring out adm jobs, completing documentation and so on, just to complete my hours
After a couple of months I was in full regime and sometime I even work longer and better when I am at home. I think this is a ideal solution, for someone having MS, but I realise it is not possible for everyone.
You did not mention you job, but could you not find an agreement to be assigned some task at home, instead of reducing your hours?
Maria
Hi both It is something i have thought about but dont know if work would go for it. We have our appraisals in april usually and as i havent been given my new hours yet (as think they will start it in march) i could give it a month to see how i get on and bring it up in my appraisal but that is a good idea! As my dad works in the wedding industry I was contemplating doing something to go with his wedding stuff as an idea like doing favours or something to get a bit of extra cash x
I’ve got a meeting with work tomorrow and will have to discuss reducing my hours, as I can’t go back on my old hours due to fatigue. I used to do mystery shopping and it can be a lot of work for not much pay unless you can line up a number of jobs on the same day, eg in the same shopping centre. It’s quite good fun though. Usually you have to do one for free as a sort of interview before they will take you on.
Its the self employed part that puts me off mystery shopping x
I have a second job typing from home in the evenings. Luckily, I was offered the position by a former colleage so I didn’t have to go job hunting. It was also offered to me within a year of reducing my hours at my main job so it worked out very well.
I think you can advertise your services for admin type jobs on websites like Gumtree or similar in your area if that’s something you might be interested in doing. Or perhaps, have a look and see if there are work from home jobs being advertised. I think they are becoming more popular now.
Tracey x
Thanks Tracey Thats a good idea as a lot of my work involves audio typing so im no stranger to typing. Although doesnt look like I need any more work as im still non the wiser about my hours. I just keep being told to expect a letter. I asked for my hours to be reduced 4 weeks ago. Typical the people who are of perfect health didnt have to go through this when they reduced their hours x
Have you thought about involving Occupational Health or Access to Work and see if they recommend any changes? It’s surprising how a previously unaccommodating employer will change their mind when someone official recommends it and tells them that it will benefit them as well as you …
Why can some employers not see that an exhausted employee for 35 hours a week is much worse than having a refreshed (and happier) employee for 25 - 30 hours a week? D’uh!!
I hope you get things sorted soon. I am glad that my employer is very understanding. I did have some issues with my previous line manager (she was a female dog!) but things came to a head and I was shifted sideways to a much more empathetic line manager
Tracey xx
I think its because i work for such a small company and they havent had an employee with an illness before! But theres a first for everything. I think il give them until Monday and until then look into taking further action. I have started looking for a new job completely but I worry that people will be put off by the MS as I would want to tell them at an interview xx
This is going to sound thick. But how do you get in touch with OH? Xx
To be honest, I don’t know
My employer has been very good so I haven’t had to use them.
I did download this leaflet and asked my employer if they wanted to make use of it when discussing reasonable adjustments but as I haven’t needed much so far they said it wasn’t necessary and they would keep it on file in case I needed anything in future.
I found it very useful just reading through it so I knew where I stood in case I need anything as time goes on.
Tracey x
Iv given my employer 2 copies and i found one under a pile of filing haha! Iv trued so many things to get stuff moving but nothing xx
Oh dear . I would put it back to the top of the in tray lol!! Seriously, you may have to call in a bit of help with this one, perhaps the MS Helpline (number at the bottom of the page) can help?
Tracey x
Thank you Tracey your a star. My dad is just convinced they want me to leave. But they wont get rid of me that easily xx
That would be my attitude too! You have rights, I think I would stick it out until it became really unbearable, log everything and then do them for constructive dismissal if it got to that point. Go get 'em girl!
Tracey x
My employers have been great and I reduced my working week from 5 to 4 days.
At the moment i am fatigued all the time with numerous other symptoms also. I think the time has come to go on sickleave and think about permanently leaving work. No other options reallyas I have ppushed myself and just seem to be getting worse.