I am struggling. Firstly, my employers have been very supportive. My employers have been in touch during my year long absence to check on my welfare, referred me to OH, suspended any actions during school shutdowns and added it to my sick pay days, referred me to OH when I felt it was time to try to return, given me two mornings far apart for phased return, even then I am just supporting in 1 lesson each morning, I have rests, I have a Chromebook to work on and have very easy workload with flexible deadlines,Iām in a KS3 year group bubble (despite previously being Head of Department in this Secondary school), on the ground floor, theyāve checked my access is suitable for my mobility scooter and I have close proximity to toilets, they have been great. Butā¦ it is still too much. I have only given it a month so far but my body aches, my fatigue is awful and I am struggling with daily function due to this amount of āworkā- even though I get a lift to and from work and everyone around me is putting everything they can in place to reduce my fatigue. I know it is time to stop. They will have little choice but to dismiss me. However, I am also about to come off Tysabri in 3 months time. Obviously, this brings with it concerns about relapses/adjusting to new meds. Do I apply now for ill health retirement while I am still at the school and have their support/OH resources etc or wait until I have come off my infusions and settled onto new meds? Thoughts?
Hi, sorry to hear how badly you are affected chick.
I dont know how it works in education, but back in 2000, I retired on ill health from the LA.
I had been on the sick for 8 months. I had to see a doctor of their choosing, who decided I was not fit to do the job I was employed to do.
They had a duty to see if there were any vacancies which I could do, but there weren`t. So I was asked if I wanted to wait another 4 months to see if any arose, or if I wished to go for early retirement at that point.
I decided I would go for the latter. But THEY asked/offered it to me.
So unless things are very different in your case, I would wait until early retirement is offeredā¦ie do not offer it to themā¦otherwise you may affect your payout.
Hope everything goes smoothly.
I have been retired 20 years now and had to adjust from a busy working life.
Take care
love Boudsxx
agree with Bouds.
After so long āon the sickā Human Resources will contact you. The issue of leaving on ill-health retirement will probably be discussed.
What you have to do is find which is the best deal for you - for instance can you get an enhancement on the number of years youāve been teaching - this will help with your pension.
Donāt feel apologetic or feel you have to go quietly because your school has been good to you. I wonder if youāre in a union - they will be able to advise.
Thank you. It was mentioned in my last meeting. I think that they were apprehensive about suggesting it while I wanted to try it and see.
Yes, my union have been involved and said school have already done more than the union can ask of them and have been more than reasonable. The union haveā suggested studying carefully the TPS ill-health retirement details. They mention it is not often granted but I may have better āchancesā than others. They said it is best to apply for this when you are in-service as you need the support of your employer. It is important to demonstrate that the school has explored every possible avenue in terms of facilitating your return to start gathering all the paperwork which could be used as evidence. I guess I wondered about how other people have dealt with similar situations.
I was granted ill health retirement in 2012 after being diagnosed with PPMS the year before. I had tried a phased return but it didnāt work.
I would advise you to get more than 1 person to complete the TPS forms, it gives different points of view. I asked my GP and my consultant to complete them in addition to the Occ Health doctor. I also asked my MS nurse to write a supporting letter.
I was told by occ health that the fact I had tried a phased return was in my favour but he did stress that although he thought I fitted the criteria he had no say. It all went through smoothly and my pension started the day after my sick entitlement (full plus half pay) had finished.
If I can help in any way then feel free to send me a message.
Sarah
Hello
Sorry you have a problem,
I was the same 5 tears ago, I was teaching in further education.
HR asked me to see the education GP and he offered to sign me off on ill health.
I then rang the teachers pension people and they told me not to accept ill health but stay on the sick and sit tight.
Sure enough after a couple of months HR rand me and I told them I had been advised not to take ill health.
It was then obvious to me they wanted to get rid of me, do not take it personal and they offered to make me redundant with a lump sum and my pension.
I then argued I wanted to be paid for holidays I had not taken and after several weeks they gave in and paid me for them.
It was unpleasant but that is how it is.
Remember they cannot fill your post until you go
Bertie
Thanks for posting this.
Sorry, not sure what to advise.
Iām a TA in a school and work part time. Walking problems started about 10 years ago and now have to use a walking frame or a scooter if distance is further.
My walking is really poor and donāt know how much longer I can keep on working.
Wondered if I should hand in my notice but reading this maybe I should see my Dr first.
Hope things work out for you.
Jen
It is definitely worth talking to your MS team and GP, I also suggest talking with your union (and if you are not in one, to sign up). My MS nurse said āDonāt you dare resign.ā
Your MS nurse is right!
Boudsx
you do NOT hand in your notice. If you have a lot of time off then your employer will come to you. Never feel apologetic for having m.s. - you didnāt ask to have it. If you do leave make sure you get the best deal available - union may help.
Iāve been trying to return to work. Had my 3rd OH referral this morning and theyāve suggested looking at ill health retirement. I havenāt done my job fully since June 2019.
As a new user to the forum it has been really useful to read your comments everyone.
I was diagnosed at 51 in Nov 20 with MS but they havenāt said which type yet. Iām a deputy head in a large primary school. Iāve spoken to my union NAHT and they were clear- for IHR it is much easier to get if you apply whilst signed off sick and they were really clear NOT to hand in my notice (which I was about to do). Iāve been off for the first two weeks of term (first time for longer than a couple of days) and have been trying a phased return but it looks like Iāll be sign off again as Iām really struggling. Itās taken a huge mindset change about not doing whatās best for the school- ie resign so they can recruit, to doing whatās best for me long term- go sick and apply for IHR.
your priority is to yourself not to the school!
You do NOT hand in your notice. Do you think that some adaptations in the classroom would help?
You do not apply for IHR - if youāre off sick for a long time then HR become involved. I think teachers get 6 months full pay and 6 months 1/2 pay.
The bottom line is you have to look after yourself!
I was very lucky to have a wonderful Headteacher. I was off sick from Sept 2019 until November 2020 (having had a dibilitating relapse at the start of August 2019 - at the same time as my diagnosis).
Ill health retirement was raised as a possibility early on but I was optimistic that I would manage in some capacity/recover more over time/at least like to try and, as I said, as long as I was prepared to try they were prepared to support me with a range of reasonable adjustments and were very accommodating, caring human beings.
I tried a phased return during November-December 2020 but it was not successful.
We discussed me applying for ill health with their support as apposed to going through a dismissal.
I did apply for ill health and this was agreed so I was terminated 31st May 2021.
I list this to try to help you see my time line but realise I was extremely lucky to have a team that valued me and supported me, like I said, they did more than the union could ask of them.
Thanks for your comments- I had decided to leave at the end of this academic year as I was struggling with the fatigue and cognitive fog, mobility was manageable (obviously not chasing after five year old ārunnersā or Team Teach holds), thinking a part time less pressure job would be better. When I mentioned it to my supportive head she asked why I was going- I explained and she advised speaking to the union and looking at IHR. Just trying to understand the process.
There are two tiers to ill health retirement.
They relate to whether you can do your teaching role. There are also conditions regarding the type of employment or volunteering you can do.
There is a document worth reading through. Iām happy to help based on my experience if I can.
Thank you - Iāve downloaded the fact sheet and have arranged to chat with a friend of a friend who went through the process a couple of years ago. I think Iām at the stage of gathering evidence over the next couple of months before putting in an application towards the summer. If I may, please can I come back to you then if I need some advice? Thanks for your time and support so far :raised_hands
Sure. I get notified if you reply to this thread.
I got evidence from my diagnosis letter, MS nurse, OT, driving assessment and used my 3 letters from OT referrals via school.
Iām also the āinactive userā in this post but think i changed my login etc.