Disability?

[BeUa]

Hi,Is there a way to prove endometriosis is a disability? If so how ? Its for my employer. As my endometriosis keeps effecting me at work due to pain, amongst other tasks I just want something in evidence it is or can be classed as a disability...

[PandoraEx]

Unfortunately I don't think it is recognised as a disability yet, there are petitions trying to get more recognition. You could ask your Dr to write your employer a letter though to explain how it can affect you.

[AnjaRose]

i am a manager for a local authority and in this instance your company’s occupational health is often the best route.

You will be assessed by a doctor and have a chance to explain how your chronic condition impacts how you do your job. As long as you have been diagnosed ( as in on your GP notes) as they may liase with your own GP

They have to take into account the equality act which covers both disability and gender so the law is in fact on your side.

Your manager will be sent the report with recommendations about reasonable adjustments

If you are really struggling to fulfil your role they may suggest redeployment or similar so just be aware of that.

[BeUa in reply to AnjaRose]

Thank you for this I've been pushing for occupational health to get involved but they are reluctant to I think possibly it would be decided to find another job.

[Dee_EndoUK Moderator Endometriosis UK in reply to BeUa]

Hi BeUa

If occupational health aren't keen to get involved, you may also want to supply your workplace with a link to the Endometriosis UK website. At the following link: endometriosis-org.uk/resources there is a full document outlining law and best practice for employers, which outlines their responsibilities to their employees with regards to endometriosis.

Hope this helps. Wishing you all the best x

[Heart92]

Hey, I recently had an occupational health assessment with work and they stated this in my assessment:

Disability Advice

My interpretation of the relevant UK legislation is that *my name* Endometriosis is likely to be considered a disability because it:

- has lasted longer than 12 months

- is having a significant impact on her ability to undertake normal daily activities

- is likely to recur

- would have a significant impact on normal daily activities without the benefit of treatment

Hope this helps xx

[BeUa in reply to Heart92]

It certainly does my gp said its been more than 12 months could be a disability. However, my work won't get them involved no idea why

[charlatan]

Hi,

First of all, endo can absolutely be regarded as a disability - it is not what the condition is, it's about it affects you.

I can't tell you specifically about what you can do in work, but I'll tell you what I did when I got fired from a job after being off so much with endo. (I took them to court and won, ha.) First of all, I spent a couple of hundred quid on one private appointment, to get a letter telling them how serious my condition was and to have a specialist to back me up. Might be worth considering. You can also get a letter from your GP (which I also did) but again, they'll charge you for this. It was £45 for me. Also, make a subject access request to your GP surgery and any other hospital or clinic that has treated you. If you've been going to them with endo issues, they'll have records to prove it. You might also want to claim PIP - you can sure prove you've got a disability if the government is giving you money for it. Although, be prepared for a fight, they never hand this over willingly. It took me almost a year and the threat of taking them to a tribunal before they finally paid up with me and this was by no means an isolated incident.

Trust me mate, I've been there. Endo affecting work (and all aspects of my life) is something I am intimately familiar with. If you want any more details about what I did, feel free to message me.

Best of luck to you x

[Razina in reply to charlatan]

Hello, did you manage to get PIP CLAIM then and if so, how?

[charlatan in reply to Razina]

I did eventually get my PIP claim, but it took a lot of work. After my claim was initially rejected, I wrote a letter pointing out what they had got wrong in their letter, asked for a mandatory reconsideration and I asked for a copy of the assessor’s report (which was full of lies). I then wrote a seven-page letter detailing everything that was wrong in the report. I made a subject access request for all the records my GP and hospitals had on me and sent them pages upon pages of anything that pertained to my endo and all the times I had ended up in A & E because of it. (It was quite an eye-opener, you wouldn’t believe how detailed their records are.) Claim was denied again so I started the tribunal process on the gov.uk website. Less than a week after that, I got a call telling me some ‘new information had come to light’ and they were now approving my claim. Quite a coincidence. These people have some nerve – hope it’s still worth it when they’re in hell.

[Razina in reply to charlatan]

Thanks so much this is so useful because the amount of times I have to miss work because of the pain and not being able to walk etc is bad so a bit of extra money support would help! Wish me luck!

[Rewe in reply to charlatan]

Hi, I just wanted to thank you for posting this. I'm self employed and am finding my endo symptoms really impacting how much i can work (not to mention i'll have to have time off for surgery next year) and I've been wondering what to do about benefits. I didn't even know which one i could apply for (not sure what universal credit is for or if I'd be eligible for that?) But your experience sounds horrendous and I'm not sure i could go through that. Plus i've only had a diagnosis this year as i had one bad experience with a gp in 2017 after years of gaslighting myself. So i don't know if my notes would be extensive enough for them to accept my claim. Not sure what else to do though... Glad you eventually got financial support xx

[Kamna1 in reply to charlatan]

Blue badge for disability, hello I just wanted to know if I can apply for blue badge for my disability as I can't walk much due to pelvic pain every time, discomforts and heaviness in my vagina and anal makes me gets tired quick even standing and walking makes me feel tired and I have to sleep ,are these normal for everyone of staying home and doing a little stuff and then go to bed and sleep for whole day and night, sometimes I can't even get of my bed due to low energy,low mood and dizziness,one week before periods as I have removed my mirena coil due to swelling I was having I have to remove it so after that I am having my periods but I can't explain how I manage my periods now one week before and one week after is like hell I have to stay on bed as walking and standing makes me tired and dizzy,can I apply for blue badge as I already did from 3 months ago but still they are asking me to send again and again different proofs and different forms ,I want to know if I am at right place to ask for blue badge or any other method as I am writing emails to them and sending everything they had asked from me but I had again received an email of a form of 40 pages to fill and send again,I don't have printer at home and without printing is very difficult to fill that form online so I am waiting my husband to buy some printer so I can send the application ,is I am doing right thing and does it takes a lot of time and what about help for sitting and standing can I ask for a chair with a cousion or a soft chair as I can't use hard seats I have a cut on my anal I don't know how I got it and it is very painful I am unable to use chair and hard things to use can I apply for a tall soft wheelchair or something like that and for standing too as I am unable to stand straight for too long my lower back and pelvic starts hurting and painful while standing and sitting more.pls reply me as sometimes I write anything as I am not in my mind and I can't understand properly what I am writing lack of movement, concentration and weight gain ohh it's very bad to explain all together.

[Razina]

It is seen as a hidden disability. Your workplace should get you to see an occupational health where they can assess you and confirm that as thats what they did with me. My union rep also told them that they need to make reasonable adjustments so that it's easier for me to do my job but not get sacked if that makes sense. Be sure to fight your corner! You got this!