Dont work at PC WORLD if you suffer from asthma!!!!

Thats bascily it. Ive been signed off for 7 days by my doctor and guess what I had my manager phone up on my second day of absence saying. If you dont return to work now im going to put you through a SICKNESS DISAPLINERY. Can you believe it. Ive worked for this company for nearly 4 years, they know about my asthma. I feel let down by the company and I wish they would understand what im going through. But no to them im another number. I wish that they would understand that asthma can still be a killer. What do you think I should do?

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you should visit your local citizens advice beurau, cos that is really unfair, they can tell you your rights at work and if any of these have been violated, you can get the company in trouble, cos i'm sure theyve violated your rights somewhere

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Definitely contact your Citizen's Advice Bureau - you could always threaten to go to the press - big companies tend to not like that.

If you've been signed off by your doctor there's not a lot they can do about it. It sounds like ""bully boy"" tactics to me.

Mind you, knowing the level of contempt with which the Dixons Group (The Link, Dixons, Currys, PC World) treats its customers I'm not really surprised that the same applies to their staff...

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thats really true peaksteve, these ""bullyboy"" policies operated by these companies are not only unfair but they violate human rights and also equal opportunities.

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They shouldn't be threatening you like that whilst you're off sick - that could just make you feel even worse and then be off longer, dread to think what they'd do in that case after what they've already done and anyway you can't come into work if you're signed off by your doctor.

They will have an absence policy I guess, but as asthma is covered under the Disability Discrimination Act they should take this into account when following any policies. And on the human side - how on earth is a call like that going to help you feel better and even want to come back into work - sounds like a poor manager to me.

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i had the same problem where i work. i was taken to hospital cos my P/F had dropped to 130 and had to spend a week their. when i came out i had a message on my answerphone on my mobile saying that i am now going to be put through a capability warning for poor absence. now i have been told if i take any time off ill ill get the sack

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Hi RYDER

Sorry to here of your trouble

I think go to the citezens advice get any legal advise you can. Then make a compliant against your manager formally. Go higher up the line no one should be doing this to you the thing is this little person is being a bully and he/she might be doing it to other people as well take the lead and prove to the company that this person is not very good at their job.

Sounds to me that this person is very incompetent of their job and is obviously not the right person for the job as he is not taking your asthma into consideration or seriously.

Take Care hope it works out for you

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People who work but are genuinely ill and, at times, hospitalised with what can be a life-threatening problem are bullied with disciplinary hearings and the sack. It doesn't bode well for the Government's plans to get a million people off incapacity benefit and back into work!

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I agree with PaekSteve about a few things he's said regarding the groups customer service skills!

I had trouble with a previous employer about the amount of sickness I was taking but after mentioning the CAB and the possibility of taking legal advice about it they reconsidered and I never heard another word about it. Strange that, isn't it?

Good luck. Do NOT allow yourself to be bullied by your employer and make it clear you'll fight back if the want to play games. Legally, they haven't got a leg to stand on and they know it. Half the time they're just trying their luck.

Much love, Fluffy. x

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you could threaten to go to the papers because big companies dont like that and thier more likley going to be more understanding about time off for your asthma if they think thier going to get bad publicity i hope this helps

hannah ###

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Thanks for all your kind words

If you want to message me you can on MSN just add me (email addy removed - please don't post contact details - thanks - CathBear(Mod))

Anyway Here is an update. I went in on Tuesday to find the disaplinery I was due to go in for has been postponed. As they are now inverstigating my GM. I went in had a return to work interview and another surprise. No mention of going through another disaplinery for sickness. Then I was sent home!!!! because they were worried that I was not fully recovered. I went to the doctors that night and he has now signed me off for another week until next monday. That is when the start of the investigation into my MANAGER starts wish me luck and thanks for all your positive messages. I have been contacted by the ASTHMA group about this and they were intrested in my storey. Well lets just see what happens.

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Hi again people well it was over a year ago that I posted the orignal message about my company. Since that time I have been harassed nearly evey month for the last year. Im now going through a disiplinery whichI have been set up for by my managers. I wont go into to much detail at the moment BUT im not the same man from last year. I have had a lot of time off mainly due to stress. I really cant take no more so im going to take this as far as I can now through a tribunal. If anyone knows anyone who can help me I would really be very grateful for any help you could throw my way. I am a member of usdaw, luckily I rejoined last year half way through all this started. But im feeling very low at the moment and obviously not in the mood to look for a new job. Im really good at what I do though and that is why I cannot understand why im being put through this. Anyway im a computer technican with over 20 years of experience under my belt. If anyone is looking for a tech who knows the ins and outs of pc's please let me know. I would like to say a big thank you to the asthma uk org for leaving this message on the system as it has all the dates and times of my first big bust up. I feel ive gone into a boxing ring with targets on my head and just taken every blow.

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If you want to take your employer to a tribunal it is usually necessary to use their grievance and appeal procedures first. If you still don't get satisfaction then you can take it to a tribunal. Watch the time limits. you usually need to start the grievance procedure within 3 months of the problem occurring. of course, if its a recurring problem that would mean three months since the last time they did anything for you to complain about. It is possible to go to a tribunal without leaving your job but your employer won't like it. Its not always an easy process. My tribunal case has been on hold for a year while occupational health have been involved. Its carrying on now but we are waiting for a hearing to determine whether I need to appear personally. They are talking about a three day hearing and with both asthma and epilepsy I would not be able to manage that. 1 day would probably put me in hospital. I have asked for the case to be heard in my absence. At least they have conceded that my asthma is a disability as well as my epilepsy.

I have also got acas involved to try to settle things.

On the subject of sickness my employer uses the bradford index (No of days absent x no of spells of absence x no of spells of absence). I was achieving some fantastic scores as I sometimes am unwell for one day at a time. I have finally got them to agree that the index should only apply to normal sickness, not time off due to disability. My index is now back to 0. I am not sure what they will do if, like last year there is a bug going around as that can affect my epilepsy. Is that disability or sickness. I do get the feeling that they are now more prepared to listen to me on these sort of matters. Before I felt i was pushed around.

Try the disability rights commission, acas and employment tribunal websites and/or helplines for more information.

hope some of the above is helpful

liz

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Ryder - what Liz says is all good stuff, but also - if you have home contents insurance, have a look at your policy in detail. You quite often get legal expenses covered as part of your home contents, too - so if you do need to go for a tribunal or court case, you might not have to shell out of your own pocket.

Also, ACAS are really helpful. Give them a call, or look at their website.

[yaf_user681_37147]

I've noticed that when I shop at PC world I get a tight chest within a few minutes. Must be the aircon or something.

Happens each time I visit PC world.

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Strange that; every time I visit PC World my teeth start to itch...

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Hi Everyone

There is a company called Russell Jones and Walker who specialise in DDA and employment cases. Google them. They offer a free screening asessment and may be able to offer you advice.

Good luck!

Kathyx

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Hi Ryder

I went through that kind of thing with my last employer as I had lots of time off sick, not just with asthma, but they had a sicknote each time.

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I need some advice! What would you do?

Well anyway from what you can read here you will know I finally taken my company through a grievance procedure. Basiclly I had to appeal but then I won!!!

6 Ponits were in my favor to the 11. But obviously I have been off work for the last 16 weeks due to the stress I have been put through from my manager. Finally my company have seen that I was harrased and I do have a apology in writing BUT thats all I have got, what I have been offered is, a move to another store which means I would have a 50 mile round trip each day, rather then the 5 mile trip I used to make. Also I was told that I had £1759 pounds in back pay of sick that was not paid correctly. But they have recalculated it to take in consideration that im off sick now, even though it is caused by a member of staff, and all they want to pay me is £400!!!

Now as you can see I dont feel like I have won!!! Oh I do have to add they are willing to pay my fuel costs!!!

So in light of the paperwork I now have, I honestly believe I have not won as the manager was trying to ship me off to southend anyway. I honestly would not be happy travelling that distance every day as I havea 18 year old Land rover and want to keep it in the best possible condition. Should I take this offer or go through a tribunial. How long does a tribunial take? Does anyone have any ideas?

What would you do?

Take the post at southend OR take it further through a tribunial. I do have Usdaw doing a fantastic job!!!

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I don't think you will have the option to take it to Tribunal, Ryder.

They have admitted fault and have provided a solution. I know it doesn't feel like you've really been compensated, but they have admitted they're wrong. On the face of it, the Tribunal would say there wasn't a case (or at least, not yet). You'd probably have to go to work first.

My next question would be - why can't you go back to the same store you used to work at? Why do you have to move?

If you want to PM me with more details I might be able to give you a few more suggestions.

Spaniel

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Well I thought you I would give you an update

I have now had a letter sent to me today which is the iceing on the cake for me, it basicly says that the last disciplinary that the GM was going to take me through had ""insufficient evidence"" to support the case, and all the paperwork is to be removed from my personal file im sure that is more then enough proff of harrasment and bullying within the work place Oh and lets not forget constructive dissmissal. Im broke at the moment but I hope the company will now pay me out cos I have had enough of all the stress they have caused me!!!

Also with this letter alone its enough to win the tribunial in my favor im so happy to have it, going to make copies of it and send it to my union ASAP.

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I thought I would write a poem!!!!

A poem for you all to read!!!

I thought I would Wright this poem for you about my troubles you have caused me to, well you might not even know about it, but I thought I would tell you.

I used to work so happily at your store in lakeside you see I was a computer tech working very hard and enjoying my job for 5 and a half years that was until Simon Jones came on the scene, you see he had it in for me, from day one it was a misery, being harassed and bullied is not nice you see.

Ill start from the beginning and work my way through, but ill tell you one thing, ill tell you the truth, Even though this is a poem, you need to see what has been happening to me.

Well I start with disciplinary one this one was fun I was forced onto the shop floor and told to work like a whore, don’t worry about the tech side of things, being a tech for 10 years don’t mean a thing. I did not like it so the very next day I started doing my job the computer tech guy!!! That was the first in the list of disciplines disobeying a direct order from the big boss himself even though he had told me himself it was a trial so don’t worry Wayne. I should have known it would never be the same.

So half was through I had an Asthma attack and signed off 2 weeks by my doctor a very nice chap. You thought I would have been left alone!!! But oh no Simon Jones on the phone threatening me with another disciplinary this one for being off sick!!! To be honest he can deny it all he likes, but I know it’s the truth and can see through his lies. Well when I got back I made a pact with him and we both started again. I thought it would be better for us as Simon knew he had made a very big guff!!!!

Anyway you thought that would be the end BUT ho no he’s at it again!!!! No 2 for me and guess what this is the best im now have a disciplinary for downloading I guess!!!! What the hell I hear you all ask, im a computer technician not a salesman you see I needed the software to do my job properly. Funny enough this was also dropped im not surprised can it really carry on. OH YES!!!!

Because here come number 3 this one very clever you wait and see. I was asked to do the rotas because the software cocked up, so like a Pratt I said yes because I like to help out not thinking right due to my ill health which has been caused by the company or namely Simon Jones you see.

Anyway while on holiday, they change back to the rota done by the software you see, not telling me I come back on a different shift to see its all gone wrong and guess what disciplinary number 3.

So I had no choice but to put in for a grievance, I knew it would be biased the first time around you all stick together and boss us around!!!! SO instead of the company doing the right thing and suspending me I had to go sick which really cost me. I lost the first round no surprise there you see, but the second was in my favour now I know I should win!!! Also had a letter to say the last disciplinary was a farce, But ho no your not quid’s in. The money the company owed will be added to your pay in such a crafty way you would lose double and have to pay. So now ive been off sick for nearly 6 months you see thousands off pounds in debt and now im going to be homeless in 3 weeks due to the rent!!!!

To top it all off me and my partner have split due to the stress you have caused to both of us its so plain to see, oh and guess what she’s back in hospital very ill indeed.

I hope you now understand the stress you have caused me its not getting any better I know that to be the truth I was up ill last night with a migraine again oh and for the very first time I was sick so sick I threw up my pizza and wine. Now we head for a tribunal and to be honest I will win hands down my doctor is backing me all the way he saw me break down last year it was bloody great!!!!!

Now you know what I have been through I hope you understand the pain you have caused not me but my whole family, what a great company DSG!!!!!!