I’ve been working for over 7 years on temporary 2 or 3 year contracts x
Up until my recent sick leave I have always had a 100% positive “you are one of the most capable people we have & your job will always be safe”
Suddenly since going back it’s more evasive “well of course we can’t promise anything, but we’ll do our best” and “Things are difficult at the moment due to institutional changes” “the decision is not really in our hands - blame personnel or the man at the top” etc etc
I’m starting to worry - worry a lot!!
If I lose my job we lose our house - full stop!
With my new recent ‘sick record’ I doubt anyone else will employ me - potential new employers won’t know/care that I have still worked my butt off despite being on sick leave!
I’m still ill - yet struggled back to work through fear and am killing myself to keep on top because of this ‘underlying threat of redundancy’
I know this is not much consolation, but don’t automatically blame your illness.
Things really HAVE got tougher - they may be telling the complete truth when they say there are underlying institutional changes, quite unrelated to your health or performance.
I have had what I considered a secure job, for the past 23 years.
I’m being made redundant at the end of the month - along with 639 colleagues who don’t have MS!
Of course, none of this means you shouldn’t worry. Obviously you will be worried - I am too. But the reduced job security isn’t an indication you’re any worse at your job. It’s just an indication the times are horrible, for everyone, and businesses really are struggling.
Hi Tina x I know - it’s a difficult time for everyone. But just weeks before I went off everything was extremely positive - money was put aside - projects in the pipeline etc.
Since my return 2 weeks ago - the subject has been avoided. Everyone else in my office have now had their contracts secured.
I don’t want to think it but some coments have also come my way that I’m not happy about but I was told confidentially
How terrible for you. I can’t quiet remember what you do for a job but that’s really not on.
What they should be doing is monitoring your sickness and trying to see whether they can support you in working i.e can you work from home at all when there are times when you might not feel 100% to get out but could sit infront of a PC - if it’s that kind of job. Working different hours so you’re not clashing with peak time travel which may make you more fraught and tired and exacerbate symptoms. My travel is stood up for an hour on some days and that can sometimes be enough to set me off if I’m having a bad day.
Is there an occupation health department you could talk to about your situation. Also you should look into DLA - I think you can still claim if you’re working. It might be some money you could put away as a safety net for you.
Have a look at your sickness and absence policy and the equality policy to make you know your rights? The other thing is are you part of a union so you have someone to fight your corner.
It’s certainly something I’ve been very wary of with cuts in the NHS and being a union rep. I’ve thankfully managed to work throughout had my first day off sick last friday but that’s more because I had a chest infec/throat thing which exacerbated the symptoms. It has severly impacted my social life though. My manager is fab but unfortunately there are people higher up who wouldn’t care two hoots about whats happened. I guess this is the difficulty with us limbolanders.
Good luck Jen. Let me know if there’s anything more I can do to help. Most importantly don’t stress - last thing you want is to worry so much that it ends up affecting your health.
As Reemz says, Google DLA an equality act etc. I’m a ‘Head Of’ in HR (Personnel) for a big international company. As long as you’ve disclosed your diagnosis or likely/possible diagnosis, they would be in serious doo doo for discriminating.
If you don’t tell them officially, they can ‘prove’ it was not related. So this is one of the times when it is best to tell. If you don’t want to go public, just speak to or email (hard evidence) someone in HR and ask them to keep it confidential.I’ve done this myself, even in my position, as I’ve been off for over 2 months now. You don’t have to be confrontational, just do an update message so they don’t think you’re after something. Once it is there in black and white they have to make sure they do the right thing or face a potential tribunal and claim.
I had a phased return meeting and to my face they were 100% supportve and on paper I can work from home as much as I need to etc etc etc
But to be honest I think I’ve become a liability - not to my immediate bosses but to the ‘powers that be in that distant dept that is HR’ as you mentioned - the faceless people that don’t see your worth - how hard you work despite your disability - they just see the liability.
I’m not in a union. I already have DLA indefinitely due to spinal injuries years ago - I’ve always worked full time though - I kept my disability to just me & my immediate boss as I have always been aware of ‘silent discrimination’ from above.
I don’t have short sick leaves - well very rarely - twice in 7 years for flu and a bug - they tend to be long ones - this last 2 years and all the MS type symptoms plus 2 lots of breast surgery however have totally floored me and on on 3 occasions now I have been off for more than a month
They also have a good excuse to get rid of me as my contract is coming to an end. I’m even suspicious as all of a sudden I’m being asked to train others in things that I normally do - even though I carried on and did them despite being on sick leave.
I don’t know - maybe I’m being paranoid - but I don’t think so - all the signs are there - I’d be an idiot not to see it coming!! xxx
Hi Jen Cc yourself in the e-mail at a personal address. Make sure your e mail and any evidence does not diss appear in cyberspace. Also cc all employer mail to a personal acct Mike
Jen I’m so sorry you are having to deal with this aswell as everything x. Try ringing ACAS as well they are great, I fairly recently went through an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination (not ms related) so if you need any advice just pm me.
Instead of email you really should send a letter recorded delivery so it is signed for, take a photocopy before you send it. Keep a diary as well of anything that is said or done that seems to be negative.
Thanks guys xxxxx I’m probably being paranoid!! Just wanted to talk to someone to be honest x
I’m feeling so ‘used up’ and useless!! - I’ve worked so hard - over & above - been extremely loyal & protective - now I’m in a really vulnerable position where I just can’t do it anymore - I’m feeling the other extreme - like a liability!!
Thank you my lovely! That’s soooo nice to hear xxx I do seem to be all over the place to be honest! Up one minute - rock bottom & feeling sorry for myself the next!! lolol xxx
I don’t think you’re being paranoid and even if you are, me and my other half have a saying - ‘the paranoid survive’.
Don’t beat your self up and you’re not a liability - it sounds like you’ve been hard working and dedicated and treated it as something you enjoy rather than just a job.