Staying off work due to asthma my company has started to deduct pay from me

Hello everyone this is my first post to this forum. I was diagnosed with asthma about 4 years ago and has generally been in control. However since January of this year I have had chest infection after chest infection resulting in numerous courses of steroids and antibiotics. I also had a nasty attack which resulted in me spending 7 days in hospital. I do quite a heavy job as a driver installer and this has meant that I have had high sickness levels since January as I haven't been able to carry out my job. My employer has started to deduct pay from me as I am over the percentage of sickness that is deemed acceptable. Just wondering whether anyone has been in a similar situation.

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You have my sympathies, I have been there, eventually leaving my job due to the way they have been with me.

If they start asking you to attend hr meetings and such, make sure you have a union rep with you if you have one, or take a trusted colleague in - I believe it is your right.

I hope you feel better soon x

[Annista]

Hi Egoni

I think Piglet has given you some very good advice about HR meetings, etc., which I won't try to improve on.

Things are very different if you work for a small firm with no union or HR department. My sick pay entitlement is 4 weeks and the very first time I had extended time off work I used up all my sick leave AND my 4 weeks holiday and then got statutory sick pay for a couple of months, which wasn't even enough to pay my rent let alone pay for utilities and groceries. As a result I went back to work while I was still too ill to do anything and spent 3 further months sitting at my desk doing nothing BUT receiving full pay for it. I learnt from that and now go back to work before SSP kicks in, no matter how ill I still am. Thankfully it doesn't happen too often.

I hope things pick up for you soon.

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Hi Eogni,

I'm currently in a similar situation qs I've used up all my sick pay (all 10 days of it), my Bradford score is ridiculous and hr are involved anf are now involving occupational health.

Is there any way your work can offer for you to do other work for a while or ""make reasonable adjustments"" to enable you to return?

My work did this for me and it has helped. Things aren't perfect, but they are better.

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