Just looking for any advice or suggestions really. 3 1/2 years ago I suffered a LAD Stemi at work. The response was appalling with no first aider available in the building so the site protection people were called who after getting me to raise my arms above my head, told me to visit a walk in centre just in case as they thought I was ok. This was in spite of showing all the classic signs of a heart attack. Luckily a colleague had observed all of this and decided to take me to a & e where a few minutes after arrival, I collapsed and suffered a series of cardiac arrests. Anyway, after emergency intervention resulting in 3 stents I was fixed and since then I’ve been great physically although have suffered flashbacks and some anxieties. I went back to work as a team leader in a call centre and after a while, dropped to 4 days a week and had my team size reduced accordingly.
Recently I have had several weeks off with anxiety which I now know was caused by my team size being increased by 100% with no allowance for my reduced hours. I have made mistakes for which I am now being investigated with the threat of further action to come. The first meeting was after only a few days into a phased return resulting in another day off as my stress and anxiety went through the roof. It’s clear looking back that anxiety is the root cause which my doctor agrees with.
I have been with the company over 5 years with an unblemished record and numerous plaudits from people I have developed. It does seem like they’re trying to force me out for some reason and quite frankly I’ve had enough. At 62 it will be difficult to get anything else and I do need to work for a little longer.
Just wondered if anyone in this wonderful group has any suggestions or advice?
Thanks.
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SelstonCanary
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Hello SelstonCanery. So sorry to hear you are having these issues. I am having work issues also and it seems totally unacceptable and shocking that employers would behave this way.
I had a STEMI at work 16 weeks ago followed by the development of post MI Pericarditis. Met with my manager last week to discuss phased return which was agreed and then was told the projects and team I manage have been working differently, my team had concerns over my return in light of changes and I must attend, on my first day back to the office, a meeting with all staff members to discuss future working and that the meeting would be uncomfortable!
We have no HR support but maybe you do? - could you speak with them and ask for mediation? Take advice, if you have not done already, from ACAS.
I have worked for my organisation for over 6 years also with an unblemished record. I, like you , cannot be doing with all this stress and particularly before I even start back and have had enough and like you feel as though I am being forced out. Whilst I was so looking forward to returning to work I have decided my health is far more important and am giving in my notice.
I am totally shocked by the way some people treat others - Could you look for another position? Life is too short , as many of us know, to put up with this nonsense and total lack of respect and empathy
I remember reading your original post and I am glad you have decided to resign. After my stemi in April at the age of 43 it hit home how precious life is and no job is worth that. Luckily my employers have been great and very understanding and helpful. It is a very sad reflection on the companies involved with yourself and SelstonCanary.Wishing you both the best of luck x
Thank you Jules2021. It is indeed a sad reflection on some organisations. I have realised that life is so precious and you are right no job is worth it. I am so pleased your employers and been understanding.
Totally agree with redimps, life’s to short for worrying about working somewhere where you’re not feeling appreciated and is affecting your health, sort things if possible to be able to leave and find new employment. I’ve worked at my current job in motor trade for 36 years, 2 1/2 years ago I also had a LAD Stemi and have been in and out of hospital for procedures 5 times since, I’m 51 and had enough tbh, my mental health has suffered seriously since my HA and I’m now sorting my life to leave and work a less stressful job with probably less money but more time enjoying life, my cardiologist told me after my last angiogram yesterday that he’s expecting me back to him again in next 1-2 years due to my CHD and complications with myocardial bridging so rethinking everything
Look like to me you have a disability, and they have to conform to the disability at work act. So I think you are covered and speak to HR about this discrimination towards you.
I know exactly how you feel. I'm 57, 5 stents. I'm currently off on my 2nd week with workplace related stress. My job is extremely stressful, that I cope with. It's the slimey, two faced conniving management I can't cope with.If you have a union, get them involved. If you don't, check your contract, see how much sick leave you can take and max it out. Then find another job whilst you are off.
Call centre jobs aren't too difficult to find. But they are use em and dump em type places.
Trust me, no job is worth the stress they're putting you through.
You are so right. I worked in a top university and, boy oh boy, were management running round like idiots when they heard I'd had a heart attack. Talk about backside covering. They even recruited a professor (i.e. a higher level than me) to undertake part - PART- of my job. And when I left on a voluntary severance scheme (after maxing out my sick leave in an otherwise unblemished career absence-wise) I see they now have two folk doing my job.
Well they can go rot is what I say! It says more about them, and the way they run the organisation for their own benefit and benefits. You would not believe how much some of these profs get paid - I don't use the phrase 'earn' as they don't earn it. It's poor saps like us who pay in the end. Look after yourselves folks and listen to your bodies. I know it's not always an option to quit work financially for everyone, but ....
Hello all, At 51 I had a stent fitted and always remember what my cardiologist said take the stress out of your life and do something you like doing rather than you need too…. Easier said than done but I stopped my on call after 18 years which was like another wage, looked for a vocation of a job and found one. After 20 years in the NHs I changed my engineering career for a support role supporting staff in the NHS speak up and that has led on to studying for a degree in social psychology and now nearing the end of my counselling and psychotherapy course while working in the support role part time. I share as you can change even though you feel you can’t , I still have work challenges with peoples behaviors but now have the tools to cope as best I can and deal with work issues on a daily basis. If anyone needs any support reach out and contact.
Stress can build if you think you are the only person being discriminated against is the stress from Work or from the Heart Attack ??
It looks like the " company " has taken the opportunity to re arrange it's schedule of work during the time you were absent!! From the information you have provided it is difficult to make a judgement on the rights or wrongs of the situation, but we have some very good employment laws in this country, which you could use.
I don't think having a Heart Attack is a form of disability other wise there would be a few 100.000 people on disability, if you can show you have lasting problems from the event it may just be classed as a disability., but I don't know
Personally I worked for 22 years after having a Heart Attack in a very stressful job and I am also aware of many other people in the same boat. It looks like a harsh reply but don't forget the company is in business to make a profit that is how it pays it's staff and investors
Hi. I am really sad to hear you are having problems at work and agree with one of the posts on here that you have a disability, some you can see, some you cant. You need to speak to the HR team where you work about this as soon as you can. They are there to help you deal with this situation. Dont worry about upsetting anyone, that is not the issue here. Your bosses will "forget" that you have health problems. Mine did and I had to gently but firmly remind them on a regular basis. You are still capable of working, it could be that you need to step back from the post you are working in at present, to a less stressful role. That is what I had to do. Please dont see this as a backward step, it is a forward step. You, have a wealth of experience to give at our age, I am 60, we have alot still to give. The main priority here is keeping you well, safe and able to do a job without feeling like you are going to keel over. Stress is a killer, take a step back. If they do not help you out, I hope to goodness they do, walk away and find somewhere who will appreciate your wealth of talents.
Hello, so sorry to read of your situation. Sometimes the politics of work causes the most awful stress and anxiety. Your employers have a duty of care towards you and that includes managing your phased return with suitable activity at work too. They will have an HR function which you should be able to contact directly to ask for an explanation of the relevant procedures applying to you and what theirs and your rights and responsibilities are. Do they have an intranet you can access from home to view the policy pages yourself? Also, talk to your union rep if you have one. If not, Citizens Advice Bureau May be able to assist.
I hope you find way forward you’re ok with and your anxiety settles. Best wishes to you and your loved ones.
I am going through the same thing although I am lucky because I am of retirement age and have been fortunate to save for a reasonable pension. The company I work for seems to be having a clear out of "old" people and filling the vacancies with kids who they are able to mould. I have served 14 and a half years and have been loyal and trustworthy. I have taken advice from "Mr Google" and have organised an informal grievance procedure. The Citizens Advice Bureau will offer advice along with ACAS. I have bought my retirement date forward because of the stress and my anxiety levels have gone down. Good Luck. There's nothing worse than being made to feel unwanted.
I am really sorry to hear this. It is truly very difficult to keep going to work in these conditions.
I had something similar happen to me and I tried to make it work for 4 years. Yes, we have the disability act and can have Access to work come and do an assessment but bottom line is that the employer can seem to get away with it. Mine went as far as the unions taking them to court over it all but at the last minute the unions droppped the case as they had a limited budget and only took through cases that they were 95% certain to win.
The process of this and the battle for what is right is an added stress already to a stressful situation.
I eventually left under a NDA and have found a way to work that is much more sustainable for my health.
I was so scared to leave and have a drop in income but being on the other side it has been a great blessing. I wished I had done it sooner. My mental health is far better and I can have a much better work life balance. I want to encourage you that being out of the situation, however scary that seems, is so beneficial on so many levels. It is worth taking the step to find a better way to look after and care for you. You are worth it.
Take care and I hope you find the strength to make a decision that is best for you xx
Oh my goodness Diddyd, it was so lovely to read your post. You will have seen in my reply to the original post that I am going through work issues and have decided to resign. It has been a scary decision for me although I know it is the right one and I am so pleased to read that it is the best thing you did. Thankyou for the positive words
You are welcome. I wished I had had someone to help me find the courage at the time but I am also a stubborn bugger and may not have listened! Being on the other side and benefit of hind sight makes me realise what a huge positive difference it is to remove yourself from a toxic environment. You deserve better. Good luck and I hope you see a positive difference quickly x
Hi, I sincerely emphasise with your situation, I was a team leader/manager for 22yrs when I was diagnosed last year(54 yrs old) with dilated cardiomyopathy my heart was working at below 30%, although my manager & HR were sympathetic they didn’t really make any “reasonable adjustments “ (as required by law) it was team colleagues that rallied round as my job was 80% manual/heavy lift & on my feet most of the day. I was lucky in away that during this period the FE College I worked for decided to restructure our department with major redundancies (6/10 ), I knew I would not be able to cope with the the hours & work load under the new contract terms including the major pay slash. So I got a couple of steps in front of them ! I applied to the pension provider for early retirement due to ill health 1st then a week later I applied for voluntary redundancy, I got the pension paid in full (as though I had retired as normal) & after a few heated emails I also got the redundancy payment as they didn’t want to pay it as I was retiring but as I had applied for ill health retirement before they made me redundant I was entitled to the payment.Sorry for the essay….. Don’t resign yet, if you don’t have a HR then contact Citizens Advice if they don’t have a volunteer that knows employment law they can arrange for you to have a FREE session with an employment solicitor. Also they have to give you adequate training, if they have during your absence changed things in your team, to enable you to full fill your role, & they cannot start disciplinary proceedings whilst you are on sick leave & there is more than 1 step for a disciplinary they have to follow (anxiety & depression is classed as a disability by PIP ).
I think you need to talk to HR about the way you have been treated. Remember though that HR are not on your side. Their role in life is to prevent trouble arising from the workforce and causing trouble for management.Given that, it seems to me that you have been poorly treated, and should have compensation.
I remember working as a manager and one of my people simply could not do the work, not because she was not capable, but because of family and stress issues. It's difficult to actually sack people and I really needed to replace her. The easy answer was to get HR to agree to effectively pay her to go.
Your situation seems much more clear. I would go to HR and explain the position
Hello selston caneryFirst and foremost do not resign. If you are in a union I would speak to them. If you are an employee and not self employed put a grievance letter into either your line manager copied in to your HR department. I do not know the full details surrounding your situation but all employers have a duty of care and based on what you have described I would say at the least you have been treated not well at all. The other place that I would contact is ACAS they are the recognised organisation for advising on work issues, when getting through ask for the duty solicitor. Between all these you should at least have an idea what to do next let me know how you get on. Good luck.
I would you look up constructive dismissal, is sounds like you might have a claim but you need to prepare and take notes/ evidence before you go. If they know your condition but make things so bad you have to go that sounds like a case of constructive dismissal. Happened to a friend of mine and he was paid a years wage and walked into another job that he loves. know it can be stressful as you are in it but it could be an opportunity
Hi there. Sorry to hear you've had a tough time at work, which is something you really don't need after your major health issue. I totally agree with Redimps about speaking to HR and your union. Its quite clear that you have been put under increased pressure at work despite your condition and it does appear unnecessarily stressful for anyone who has been disabled as you have.
I was self employed and relied on driving to site visits so my SCAs impacted heavily on my work and I found it so difficult to attend visits and on site meetings without being able to drive. Numerous defibrillator shocks meant consecutive driving bans until my consultant said they needed me to be more stable over a year before consenting to drive. I also had so many issues and allergies to various meds which madecme so ill and drained me of all energy so I found it really hard to manage at work. I then stopped my business and tried an office based job but in the first few weeks I collapsed and fell onto the back of a seated staff member, causing her months of pain and neck damage. I felt so bad and after a second collapse when someone caught me before I fell head first onto the concrete floor, I was advised to rethink about completing my trial phase. Having to be taken away by ambulance and a few stays in hospital within a few months convinced them I was too unfit to continue so I left immediately. It was soul destroying but I couldnt carry on like that. I had to claim ESA but was in hospital too often to go on work related activities and failed trials of meds made me much worse over the next few years so I had to give up all hope of returning to work for the time being. I still live in hope of returning to work to earn a decent living but I dont know when, now I'm heading towards retirement too. What I have learned though is to listen to my body and rest when I need to, to do regular walking and watch my diet. Most of all, I've learned to accept my limitations and be content with the life I have despite less energy and the defibrillator shocks, to pace myself, and to be grateful for all I do have. Money is tight but its not the end of the world. I have peace of mind rather than stress, and time to enjoy life in this enforced retirement. I work voluntarily from home when fit and able to do so and that gives me some sense of value without any real commitment and I enjoy it more without the pressure. I'm just grateful for having my life, for having a fantastic circle of supportive friends, and for the time now which is so valuable. I'd certainly rethink your position, get the advice at work and see how it goes while youre off sick. You too may well find that peace of mind and time to live is worth a reduction in income. I wish you well, feel free to chat any time.
Hello SelstonCanary.I am sorry to hear about the disgusting way that vile Company is treating you. An Industrial Tribunal springs to mind if they give you the push, but, of course, this is all added stress. Is there a local Citizen Advice near you where you could go to find out where you stand legally?
Of course, no job is worth that type of aggro, at the same time you don't want to get robbed of what you are entitled to by such unscrupulous employers! It is a rea disgrace! Good luck with it all, but look after your precious self!
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