Hi, I have relocated to a new job role ( Same company ) and things have gone wrong from the start . My MS ( RRMS ) has flared up from the stress of all this. My doctor has given me a weeks sick note saying “Stress/MS flair up” . My Work has put me down as just Stress. My question is should this be marked down as Multiple sclerosis?
Thanks!
I would prefer to see MS on my sick note. Folks off repeatedly or long-term with stress can be edged out relatively easily if it comes to that (which I hope it won’t). Check the company policies on sickness and incapacity - they might even distinguish between ordinary sickness absence and absence due to disability: the more forward-thinking employers already do, and the TUC would like this to be universal, but it isn’t yet (or not as far as I know).
It is also worth remembering that MS is one of the very few conditions that automatically meets the disability definition under the Equality Act 2010. (The other lucky winners, by the way are people with HIV or cancer.) So as far as employment law goes, you automatically qualified as disabled from the day of dx. Your employer does need to know about your condition, of course, for them to be obliged to take account of this, which is another reason to be sure it appears on any sick notes, I think, and in written record of discussions between you and your employer.
Definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010 - GOV.UK.
There’s great info on here, in case you haven’t found it already.
I’ve requested they change it from “stress” to MS …but they have said because the sick note says “Stress and MS Flare Up” as stress is mentioned first they have categorised stress as the main reason for absence and not MS. Told me not to worry as they are simply stating what is on my fit note.