Endo and problems with employer

[seagull123]

Hi all,

This is a post to have a bit of a vent but also to see if anyone else has experienced a similar problem.

Last year I had a lap and dye with two weeks off work and after returning to work my sickness record has been 100% clear. I have been experiencing pain after driving, especially around my period which also causes flooding. Because my place of work was a 60 mile round trip from home I managed to locate a secondment for a few months a five minute walk from my front door. It was bliss, saved on petrol, my pain lessened, I was paid more money and additionally I had a great new boss and team. My secondment was set to be extended for a further six months which I was thrilled with. Sadly my old team refused my secondment and demanded me back which meant a significant drop in pay and they also wanted me to drive five days a week again which, as I said, is a 60 mile round trip and can sometimes take over three hours.

I asked if I could continue working locally but doing the role they wished me to. It is now an admin post after being a project officer and I am able to do this job anywhere with a phone and internet connection. I stated that driving long distances causes me pain and puts me in a embarrassing situation if I flood.

My GP wrote a letter in support of this and the occ health team did as well. This was not good enough despite me compromising and saying I would drive one day a week plus I would travel to minute any meetings they required (two a month) but they refused this and demanded I drive at least three days a week, if not more. They also threw into the mix that I was now expected to drive around the county for the role as well as driving into work. This caused me a huge amount of stress and my GP signed me off which I wasn't keen on as I enjoy working.

Despite me compromising they keep throwing up new, never mentioned before, reasons for me to be at the workplace 60 miles away. My consultant has now also written a letter backing up the fact I have endo and that it causes chronic pain. This is also not good enough. I asked if I could return to work on recuperative duties at the local workplace while we sorted out my location as surely having me back at work would be beneficial to them, especially considering they dragged me back from my dream job so urgently. This has also been refused and they have referred me back to occ health to answer the same questions as before, presumably so they can ignore the answers again.

I have a Union rep who is assisting me but he is also increasingly baffled as to why they are digging their heels in over this. Indeed the workplace 60 miles away has parking problems and they are now asking people who do not need to work there to work locally if possible. And I am only an admin assistant so my presence is not required really and the work can easily be undertaken remotely, even working from home and I haven't asked for that.

The next step is to try and have my endo recognised under the Equality Act and then go down the route of reasonable adjustments but they can refuse these. Then I am looking at dismissal from the organisation. I'm scared if I'm honest as I do not want to lose my job but I also refuse to drive in pain unnecessarily.

It is starting to feel like a personal attack but it could just be paranoia. I am capable of doing my job anywhere and doing it well. They know I am trustworthy. I would think they were trying to get rid of me were it not for the fact that they demanded I return from my secondment due to my "bespoke knowledge".

I never let illness affect my job and until now have managed the pain myself and not missed one day of work, aside from after the lap and dye operation.

Has anyone had any similar problems with their employment? Can anyone advise me?

[JeanOsborne]

Hi I know you say you have a union rep but it may be worth consulting an employment solicitor. I wish I had a bit more advise for you. It sounds like you are doing everything you can to accommodate their demands it's a shame they can't do the same for you. They are obviously not very supportive of a very competent , loyal and dedicated employee, so you might be better off finding an employer who will truly appreciate you. Good luck.

[Bethleah]

Hi. Contact citizens advice and or acas who are the employment specialists, both of which are free. If contacting that cab make it a face2face appt, don't let tem fob you off with their advice line or website. Take all the info letters etc with you. Acas can be contacted through their website, email or phone. I would definately speak to acas. Also check you emplyment contract and and policies procedures they have. The union rep is a great idea. Under the equality act they have to make all reasonable adjustments they can just refuse they have to have sound reasons for refusing.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on. Xx