work problems

Everyday living
1

Hi all My name is Marie at the moment im going through a relapse and im off work i went into work to give my sick note my boss sat me down and said do you think this is the right place for you to be working it is a heavy job but i like it ive applied for a few different jobs but ive been knocked back is it me but does any one else feel like their been pushed aside because of my MS its also very frustraiting because ive had no help financially

sorry just frustraied and thought people on here would understand more

2

bump

3

Sorry you are having this experience. Sending you a ((hug))) My boss has been so supportive and sorted me out a new position withinthe team as I wouldn’t have been able to go back to my old role after I had a bad relspse and diagnosis. Hope it gets better. Barney

4

Don’t let them push you out. If you have disclosed your MS you are protected under disability law. Your boss shouldn’t be making these comments. Keep a record of the things he/she says with dates just in case… Please try not to stress about this as that won’t help your relapse. Take care.

5

im having to drop hours at work beause of really bad fatigue i have no idea what im going to do when im unable to do the job :frowning:

6

Hi Marie,

This is a difficult one, because he may have had genuine intentions, and be seriously wondering how you’re going to manage (which you may be wondering yourself).

Nevertheless, he’s not allowed to simply suggest you shouldn’t be working there. At the very least, he has to look at ways to support you to stay in work, even if that means changes to your hours or duties, or perhaps some kind of aid or device to assist you.

It’s premature while you’re still off sick anyway, as it’s not yet clear what the extent of your recovery will be.

Unfortunately, depending on the type of business, it can sometimes happen that a person with MS just isn’t able to carry on with it, because the employer doesn’t have any other duties they could switch them to, or has already exhausted all the ways of trying to help, but still nothing was able to overcome the problems.

BUT, you’re a long way from that yet. You’re not even back off sick, but when you are, there needs to be a long hard look at your duties, whether you can still cope with them, and what your employer can do to help.

On no account resign, because they claim it would be better for you. If it gets to the point it’s clear you can’t continue, make sure they terminate your employment on health grounds, as it may greatly affect what severance terms you leave with, and also what benefits you’re eligible to claim. If you resign, it will be viewed as any ordinary resignation unconnected with health - i.e. entitled to nothing, and may not get benefits either, due to possibly being viewed as “voluntarily” unemployed.

Tina

x

7

I have just lost my job thanks to my MS.The job was too stressful and i couldn’t cope.

Within the space of 6 months working there i had 4 attacks and due to loosing job this symptoms have returned.

I am afraid it is also becoming progressive.

No idea what i am gonna go

Life sucks

8

I have just lost my job thanks to my MS.The job was too stressful and i couldn’t cope.

Within the space of 6 months working there i had 4 attacks and due to loosing job this symptoms have returned.

I am afraid it is also becoming progressive.

No idea what i am gonna go

Life sucks

9

Tina has said everything.

Even if your boss has serious reservations there are steps that need to be tried before everyone reaches the conclusion that carrying on in the job is not feasible.
Changes to duties, hours or the introduction of aids might make all the difference and your employer has a duty to try. Access to Work can help both with assessment and financially. Did you see the article in this month’s MS Matters about the young woman who worked at Asda? She was photographed on a mobility scooter. The larger the organization the more likely they are to make adjustments – it would be much harder at a corner shop with just two employees but even they must try.

I must echo Tina – do not be bullied into resigning. If your employer lays you off due to ill heath it will be much more straightforward to move on into benefits and they must be certain to do it properly or you could sue for unfair dismissal.

It is hard to withstand the might of an employer on your own and it would help if you armed yourself with information to counter their arguments so Google Access to Work and read up about the role of an employer in the Disability Equalities Act.

I hope it works out for you.

Jane

10

If you are been asked to any meeting,make sure you say you are going to record the meeting. You have a right to do this. As they are pulling you up on you disability. We are all just a number at the end of day no matter how good you are, or may have been at work.

11

If you are called into a meeting regarding your ability to continue working you also have the right to have someone else there independently (eg from your union) to make sure that what is said is fair. They cannot deny you this right whether you belong to a union or not.

Tracey