Help.. .fired again from another job due to Endo? Has anyone claimed DLA?

[Dragonparc]

I was fired again on Friday for having too much time off sick due to stage four endo, I have had four operations plus a radical, performed by Mr Trehan in Dewsbury, and i'm just about to start on Prostap on wednesday...

I cant seem to keep a job through my ill health and haven't workrd with one employer who under stands the condition.

So what do i do know? i love working and what i do but physically cant do it anymore, so is anyone claiming DLA and how did they manage to get it?

I also have had depression for several years, so as Endo isnt recognised as a disability maybe i should claim for the depression? what do people think??

[jojo777]

Hi

I'm sorry about your job, but are they allowed to fire you because of sickness? I thought it was against the law.. sorry I cant help more.

I think its not formally accepted that endo is under disability benefits etc, but this can change if there is severe case and your doctor can support you with letters, proof etc. Its better to for someone else here to tell you more about it and maybe you could call the helpline in the endometriosis uk site. They could know much more than me!

Jo x

[Dragonparc in reply to jojo777]

Hi Jo thank you for your reply I think I will give them a call and see if they can advise me.

Unfortunatly I have only been able to secure temporary work through an agency and temps can be fired at anytime for any reason sadly, I have been unable to secure permenant work as employers do not want to know if you have endo, sad but true, no idea what i'm going to do now..

[crystal_willow]

If you google "claiming DLA" there are loads of websites which can give advice about claiming DLA. also you could call the EndoUK advice line as I am sure the advisors can help point you in the right direction.

xx

[jubro]

Oh no, I feel for you, I think i'm going to find myself in a similar situation, I've worked for my employer for almost 3 year, I had from end Aug til Nov off because I kept going dizzy due to lack of iron, it was really low, Dr said it had to get back to 9 I went back to work. I was having a 'period' for about 3 Weeks then 1 week to 10 days off, so it was taking forever, he even tried injections and told me to drink stout or guuness. I started feeling a little better and asked work if I could return against the Dr wishes, they got occupational health in who is employed by them and I had,a big fat no way.

In October I was booked in for a hysterectomy in jan, told work as soon as I knew. I went back to work at end of November, had my return to work interview and I am on red because I've had more than 1 month off and if I had more time off sick before 26 Weeks I could face disciplinary and dismissal, I pointed out I was having a hysterectomy, they said ' we will see how quickly you return after, if its 6 Weeks then you may not have disciplinary, longer then you may! But you do have Dr notes to,prove why you will be off!.

I had a,sub total abdominal hysterectomy with ovaries removed almost 5 Weeks ago, I can't even,drive til 8 Weeks post op as that's by insurer rules. Iwork too far away to catch the bus. Plus i'm still in endo pain, especially around my bowel when it comes to pooing and also still on iron as I bled alot during surgery. I'm having about 3 hours sleep a night due to night sweats and the hospital said I need at least 12 Weeks off as I have,a physical job. So dreading going back now as I don't want to have a disciplinary. I'm so glad I had the hysterectomy because my pain is a lot less that it was and not bleeding like I was is like heaven but worry its cost me by job. X

[Hidden]

Hi Dragonparc

I'm really sorry to hear about your news I work as an employment advisor and also have stage 4 Endometriosis. I just wanted to give you a bit more info and am happy for you to contact me if you need more.

With regards to the Equality Act (which supersedes the Disability Discrimination Act) you are classed as 'disabled' "if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities." This definition allows individuals with different illness's that affect people in different ways to be covered. Endometriosis can come under this banner if the impact is as stated above and it certainly sounds like yours is. Now you are only protected by employment law if your employer is aware of your illness so if you have been completely honest with them and all of your sickness days have been due to Endometriosis you should ideally be offered an appointment with your companies occupational health department, however if you work for a small business then they probably don't have one! So the dialogue would need to be with your manager of the business owner. From a business point of view they need an employee who can do the job and if they feel this is not the case then a capability procedure should be followed and reasonable adjustments explored. Just to be clear the reasonable bit applies to the employer not the employee. Because of the nature of the illness there is not a lot of employers who are aware of it let alone the effects it can have on an individual and as we know it affects everyone differently, so there is no clear cut case law.....yet! If you feel you have been discriminated against and have the energy and money to follow a case then I suggest seeking advice from an employment law solicitor BUT a lot of cases do not get as far as a tribunal and most people do not get what they want from the process which can be very stressful - not good for te Endometriosis.

So things that you can do for yourself are as you suggested claiming DLA (this is soon to change to Personal Independance Payment) The form is lengthy and I would suggest you get someone to help you fill it out. You can also get in touch with Carol at Endometriosis UK for advice. As you are currently out of work due to illness I would suggest you also make a claim for Employment Support Allowance. Entitlement does depend on a few things and if you can get any medical evidence to support your claim I would highly recommend it i.e. copies of GP/consultant letters, discharge notes from hospital and information from Endometriosis UK, they have a specific Employment leaflet. The assessment is not great & a lot of people do not get enough points at this stage, however until your assessment you get the basic rate and if you are not successful then you can appeal and continue to receive the basic rate until resolved. It would at least be a little income and hopefully minimise some stress.

The most important thing right now is to get all the support and advice you can and look after yourself. I hope the information has been helpful and good luck

[ww14]

I almost lost my job due to endo so sympathise with you. Its added pressure and stress you don t need. I agreed to go on unpaid convalescence leave which I can be on for two years. I lost the right to go back to my current role and there is no firm guarantee of redeployment when I m better. It was that or be sacked. You can be dismissed due to ill health if you are uncapable of fulfilling your job role. Obviously there is a due process to be followed and redeployment and flexible working should be considered but yes you can be dismissed due to illness.

Endometriosis is nt covered by DLA per se but its symptoms are. This is because it affects women in different ways and it depends how severe the symptoms are. You don t have to claim for one thing alone so I would claim for all your symptoms ie depression and physical endometriosis symptoms. There are two tiers to the sickness benefit depending on whether you need a carer or not. My husband is out of work so he claims for both of us. I did do a little research though and if I had been turned down for sickness benefit then I could apply for income support or job seekers allowance.

i am on prostrap and it has made a difference to my symptoms as I don t have periods I still have pain mood swings hot flushes but feel I could do non physical job as symptoms more manageable. I have no clerical or administrative skills though so have nt been able to find temporary work. I am coming off injections in two months and am worried my heavy painful periods will make any work for those specific 2 to 3 days a month difficult. I was nt regular so could nt predict when I would need time off. I know of women who are regular who have negotiated work patterns and shifts round their periods.

i have two young children who keep me busy but would still love a part time job.. I have been hoping I could have a hysterectomy shortly which may improve condition so I can work. This seems unlikely in short term so now thinking what I could do as job that is flexible and involves working from home or self employed. I am nervous about approaching employers with my sickness record but you never know. X x

[Dragonparc]

Thanks guys, this advice has been really helpful, my GP is brilliant and is 100% behind me as she understands I can't work, its so frustrating though as I love my job, Im a substance misuse practitioner, ironic really when I'm on all manner off pain killers, Tramadol, Oxycodone , Naproxen, cilest pill and have a Mirena coil.

Yet still the pain continues, so hoping the Prostrap works for me, even if its so i can reduce some of the pain killers.

I am going to contact Carol as suggested to see if she can help me fill in the forms as i'm not very good at this aspect so will let you all know how I get on.

Thank you once again…x

[missteal]

I have lost all three of my jobs due to being off too much. I applied for DLA and it got rejected and I couldn't claim anything else because my partner earns too much and I haven't paid enough national insurance....if you get anywhere then please let me know as I'm pretty much in the same situation as you xx

[Dragonparc]

Hi i know how you feel, it will be interesting to see if my claim is successful or not, i have chronic depression also from being in so much pain from the endo, some days i can do nothing, and the pain killers just knock me out, i have come across several women who were awarded the lower rate DLA, plus i have a full time carer, who cooks for me, and drives me to appointments, etc…so fingers crossed it will be accepted, will let you know…x