Why

[Louinga]

Just needed a little rant today , i have a disciplinary hearing at 9am in the morning due to my absences from work. My employers say that they believe i am ill but it is company policy to take everyone through this. Basically i could get a verbal warning. if i do and i am sick again in the next 4 months i could get a written warning. The policy only allows for 1 verbal and 3 written and i could be dismissed. I am so angry at the company for hidign behind policy and making out like they are supporting me. When in reality they are just piling more stress on me. Everythign at the moment seems to get me down and i am not normally a miserable person. I just feel so tired all the time and I spent yet anotehr weekend on the sofa to tired and in too much pain to do anything. I would love to think there is light at the end of the tunnel but at the moment all i see is darkness.

[worth71]

hi - have you given your boss the leaflets on 'endo in the workplace' you can download them from the endometriosis uk website or they can send them to you. Can they not try to give you flexi time to allow for your bad days. i think if i was employed i would've been sacked by now to be honest, or gone long term sick. i'm self employed and i've gone from working a 50 hr week to 8-12 hrs per week, sometimes less, i'm struggling financially, luckily my hubby works but things are very tight, i've been told i could try for ESA but it's not always certain that you get it so i am trying to carry on.

Good luck for tomorrow, try to print off that leaflet, they would have to be very careful when dismissing somebody x

[Louinga]

Thanks for the informaiton i will log on and see if i can print off the leaflets. the trigger point for this meeting was an absence of 1 day, it was one of those days when your body just gives up and you just crash out. I can totally relate to you going from working long hours to virtually nothing my overall hours have not changed but when it gets to the weekend i just totally crash. i hope things improve for you soon and you get back to having some energy. xxx

[worth71]

yep i understand those days, the days where your body cannot even get going due to pain - i'm still waiting for a diagnosis, my gp suspects it with all my symptoms and is fighting with me to push the hospital further as they just send me away, the first time with a mirena coil, which hasn't helped at all, and the third time they just told me to eat more fibre and the pain will go! it seems because its not deemed life threatening they're not always interested.

from a work point of view i sometimes hear that women bosses can be very unsympathetic to this condition, assuming its just a bad period, grrrrr. but yes make sure you have a look at the leaflets, and maybe get some advice from citizens advice for future reference. xx

[salsaem]

Hi Louinga,

I am having the same problems. I go back to work on Thursday after my lap and a kidney infection previous to that, related I believe to endo. I will need a formal interview i am told as my line manager has discovered Britain do not view Endo as a disability so we are not covered, although 6 other countries do. I have the leaflet ready to give to my line manager but dont know what it will do. My dad thinks it should be sexual discrimination, and it should be!! Are you in a Union? Im going to contact my union rep to arrange a meeting prior to another formal. The tiredness is a killer i find and i fall asleep at my desk. I constantly have to build up flexi time just incase i need to go home suddenly. Can you work extra hours to make up for your time off?

Good luck.

xx

[Hidden]

You should get a medical report done and let them have it. That way you are covered and they may understand a little more about what you are having to deal with. I have been exceptionally lucky. I've had 11 weeks off since August and have been incredibly lucky and supportive. Shame not all employers are the same.

[chickpeajones]

Endo is not automatically defined as a disability (very few conditions are) and it's not for your employer to define either.

first things first, get union representation in workplace issues, just because it's "policy" doesn't mean it's right or even legal.

secondly, speak to the people at the Equality & Human Rights Commission for REAL information. They will tell you that endo is a chronic condition and therefore *may* come under the disability discrimination act. if it does, your employer cannot count sick days due to it as 'sick'

.

who decides if your chronic condition is covered under the DDA? A specialist will at an employment tribunal - certainly NOT your employer (when did they become an expert?).

Join a union, take them into work meetings with you (this is your right to do so) and do not be afraid to take it all the way to tribunal.

Endo or not, WE have rights too.

[salsaem]

Hey chickpeajones,

Just to say that was great advice you passed on. Im going to take it too thanks! I will let my line manager know Thurs she doesnt have the right to tell me I am not suffering from a chronic condition.

x

[Louinga]

thanks so much for the support had my meeting this morning no further action at this time, however i cannot be sick in the next 2 months otherwise it goes to the next level. I will check out the advice and go back to my boss. Meeting was frusrating we have teh ability to work from home but only if it is booked in advance which doesnt help when you have no control over your condition. We have no targets for attendance in our HR policy yet i am being tracked to a targeted number of absences. I also ahve IBS which i was diagnoised with 7 years ago, looking back knowing what i know now i think the endo has been there for much longer. The forum has been a god send. Much love to you all.

xx

L

[Hilary100]

Do check out the ACAS website and download the booklet called Health Work and Wellbeing--there is lots of information here. Don't let your company intimidate you. Always take someone with you to any meetings with your employees--you can ask for a postponement of the meeting while you arrange for someone to attend with you. Everybody's advice is great. Good luck with your continuing battle.

[Louinga]

Thanks Hilary i will check it out, in all of this my work has been unaffected and there has been no issue with the quality of work, my last period of absence that triggered thsi was 1 day! it is such a frustrating process to be involved in.

[Tracysam]

Louinga I understand completely how you feel. My bradford score has been quite high lately due to suffering with Endo. I don't know what company you work for but mine have an Occupational Health Department who consider of nurses and doctors who currently pratice in the field of medicine. There is not alot your company can do if you have certificated sick notes. Policy usually is for somebody to be placed on suportive action plans before they even think of a disciplinary action. Just becuase it appears as though this procedure is Policy it doesn't sound legal to me. I would contact my local union rep if you are in a union or take advice from ACAS. You should be allowed to take someone with you to the hearing and i would suggest that you do this as it can be a very emtional time indeed. If they have not supported you and they do discipline you, they could be leaving themselves open to action being taken against them, a grievance procedure or indeed an action for unfair dismissal. I hope this helps. Keep your chin up x

[100purple]

Hi Louinga,

I have had much the same problem. I had an awful couple of years with endo. I had lots of time off having ops, being in hospital, and just generally being ill because of my low immune system. I got to the final warning stage for sickness absence.

However I went to see our works occupational health about it. I have always been upfront with work about my condition and even told them I had it on my application form.

I have now had the endo recognised under the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act), I also got my union involved. The decision to give me the final stage warning was over turned and no further action was taken, however I am now constantly monitored for absence!

I would highly reccomend getting a Union involved and Occ health if possible. I also got my GP and Consultant to provide letters to say what I suffer from and how it affects me to my Manager.

I now take holiday days for most of my sickness, apart from hospital stays and operations! Its not a good way to be but after my experience of sickness policy I dont want to risk loosing my job!!

Xxxx

[Louinga]

Thanks for the comments my occ health dept is already involved the company is not willing to make any exceptions regarding thier policies even though we have no official target for absences in writing. They just keep reiterating the fact that they need to treat everyone the same. However i am at a disadvantage but they dont seem able to admit to this. i have also been told not to use holidays to cover for sickness as this is coverting up the problem i need to stay at home and get better, i explained that this is a long term condition and i will not get better but they seem unable to grasp this. I have a date through for a laparoscopy and the hospital said they will sign me off for a week to recuperate. I have a meeting at 2pm with my boss to discuss but i dotn know if work will treat this as a period of absence or if it views it differently. The whole process is incredibly stressful and i am constatly worried about getting ill.xx Lou