terrible trial

Yesterday was the last straw for me with the redeployment trial I’d on. After two weeks trying to do an unfamiliar job with virtually no support,enough was enough. Every time i entered the unit, voices would go quiet. I overheard senior members of staff talking about the role as they looked on the computer, viewing the ‘essential criteria’ and querying to one another if i could ‘do that’, when they knew full well i was not capable and without much needed training, wasn’t going to be any time soon! I eventually broke down in tears when talking to an old friend in the corridor. She said it was bullying and I shouldn’t put up with it. I rang HR and once we spoke, i was told to put everything in writing and the trial was to end there and then. The heartbreaking thing is though, i feel like they were hell bent on seeing me fail but I know, with the right training and support, i could have done the role, albeit slightly slower than most people :cry:

Hi Vinnygirl,

I know its hard, but you can’t give up.

You are at the moment still fragile and vulnerable. Every bit of conversation you over hear, you think, could be about you, but most likely is something total different. People often find it very difficult, uncomfortable and fear talking, in case the say the wrong thing.

It is very hard to fit into an established working team most times, without the topic of MS occuring.

I remember my return to work day. I had a manager who would only converse with me through written request in a A4 notebook. No informal meetings, No welcome back, No what can we do for you, just a “here’s your book, if I want you to do something it will be written in here.” Then going back into her office and slamming the door shut.

It was a good thing to contact HR about your situation and voice your concerns, they should follow up on these with your line managers, and hopefully your fears will be sorted or at least a plan maybe drawn up to establish your needs, so that you are capable of fullfilling this role.

Talk to your union rep - you can always request a meeting with your line managers, and talk things through, if you require.

Better you are seen to be pro-active and remember every new job is very hard to begin. You always feel out of your depth and always think the older staff are talking about you and your mistakes.

I can only wish you the best and do not resign or give up your employment. It is going to be hard, you are going to feel you don’t fit in, but after a while things will click into place. You have just got to hang in there.

Hope this is of use for you, thinking of you.

Yours. Andy

As above. Just wanted to send love though. No one has the right to make you feel like that! They should be ashamed xx

Hi vinneygirl

Just asking how are you ? Andy

Can’t add anything further to what others have said and what you have already done for yourself (contacting HR as soon as you could was much better than trying to soldier on when others are apparently putting further hurdles in your way)

Just hope that things work out properly for you. Good luck and a big hug for you. (No hug emoticons on here, so a for you)

Thanks. Andy, I’m ok, got a meeting tomorrow with HR and the senior sister from the unit that I had the trial on. Can’t say I’m looking forward to it. I’ve tried contacting my union rep but whether he can attend with me is still sketchy so we’ll have to see. Thanks to all of you for your advice and support. I’ll let you know what happens. xxxx

An appalling situation.

Can you postpone the meeting tomorrow. You need to familiarise yourself with your rights in this situation and also what are the obligations of your employer.

If the meeting does go ahead don’t commit yourself to anything - whatever they suggest say you need time to consider things.

Tell them you feel you are being bullied - discriminated against. Employers these days have to be very careul how they treat people with a disability.

Don’t let them ride roughshod over you -

and keep posting on this site - there are alot of people here with a lot of experience of this sort of thing and they will give support.