Had a phone call From occupational health this afternoon looks like I am going to be let go !

[Shadows-walker]

Hi thought keep you all up to date don't quite know what to do , she was very nice but as she said I am very unwell and won't be ready to go to work in the foreseeable future , and as the job is very physical and can be stressful she does not feel there is anything they can do to get me back to work . So where does that leave me ?

[misty14]

Hi Shadows-walker

So sorry to read that your going to lose your job thru ill health. What you need to do is contact your local Citizen's Advice Bureau who will help ensure your employer treats you properly, they have employment specialists, and will tell you what benefits you could be entitled to and will help you fill the forms in. I'm sorry this has happened for you, you have enough to worry about with your health!. Hope I've helped?X

[Shadows-walker in reply to misty14]

Thanks for advise and support I new it was coming but it was still a bit of a shock there not much I can do ,the consultant said he would get me well enough to work but it will take time , and I have been off work for 5 months and the company wants me back by the 21 st of July ,and there a ruthless company when it comes to there staff there bottom line and all they worry about is profit ,it's not the ones on the ground floor it's the ones in the offices who don't know the people were just names on a piece of paper it's just business xx

[misty14 in reply to Shadows-walker]

Hi Shadows-walker

Maybe later on when you are better you will get a new , less stressful job, somewhere that your better appreciated!. They sound nasty employers that your best away from for your healths sake!. Any problems just go to CAB and I wish you lots of luck and hope you feel better soonX

[Shadows-walker in reply to misty14]

Thank you ,I think I just have to get re trained when I am better ,it will all come out in the wash ,thanks for the support x

[misty14 in reply to Shadows-walker]

Hi Shadows-walker

Best of luck with it all. Hope your enjoying your new mobility scooter?. I may swallow my pride and have one to enhance days out.X

[Shadows-walker in reply to misty14]

Yes the dogs are really funny they have know worked out if the cover is off they are in for a run , not using it much in this lovely weather as I find ,I can't tolerate the sun for long ,but I am really pleased with it . Thanks for the support .xx

[ny209769b]

this is happening to me ATM don't get any more ssp now and due to husbands wages just being over the threshold I'm not entitled to esa only get my stamp paid for I do get enhanced pip for both care and mobility ,work tried to end my contract but my union rep said what you going to pay as a severance pay they said I could have my holidays which I'm entitled to couldn't take my holiday payment whilst they had a sick note so waited for that one to run out claimed 2 weeks of holiday and they haven't been in touch since to ask where my sick note is I claimed my holiday 2 months ago and not a peep from the company funny thing is I worked as head cook in a care home but they don't care about the staff lol I could be dead and they wouldn't have a clue nice isn't it x CAB are fab they sorted out all my forms x

[Shadows-walker in reply to ny209769b]

Yes I know where your coming from , I live alone my children are grown and have flown the nest ,the nearest lives 3 hours away she is at uni but off to Japan for a year in September with my blessing . I got divorced 7 years ago just as my dad was dying .And just as you said when it comes to the people you work with if I see the odd one one they ask how I am. but I didn't even get a get well card only thing they have been interested in is when would I be back ,they just don't treat anybody right in a way I be glad when it's done they are all so toxic if you know what I mean. Went round to friends last night few asked how I was because I haven't been out in evening for 6 months, it was nice but one friend with own health issues thinks my bowel issues are down to my diet just see me as young ,and I get the impression I should pull my self together sorry just a little fed up this morning with it all . Thanks for replying sorry for moaning I just wish people could have. Day in our body's it just such a roller coster . X

[Whathappned]

Hi Shaddows-walker

So sorry to hear your news. I'm new to all this but what your going through is always on my mind as a possibility. I'm not too ill though, but I have taken a few sick days recently. I'm not sure what you do as a job. I was looking at early retirement from ill health in the future if it ends up coming to that. As Misty14 advises you need professional advice on your best options.

Best of luck x

[Shadows-walker in reply to Whathappned]

Thank you x

[lizzidrippin]

Oops predicted words apologies.

Hi Shadows-Walker

I'm so sorry that this has happened to you. I've had the same so I know the shock of having no money coming in and wondering where to turn. I worked for the local authority....a so called equality council they are as ruthless as private companies.

I was like you but went on half pay after 6 months....I had one meeting with HR no warnings written or verbal.

Go to Citizens Advice. I didnt, I went into denial. Bills still had to be paid, like you there's only myself. So called friends both at work and out didn't call, didn't know what to say, all except one, who has been my sounding board.

Eventually I rang the DWP. To be fair they were really helpful and recommended I also apply for housing through the Council.

I was awarded ESA whilst the process went through. You will probably go through the same...it's a long trudge taking it's toll both mentally and physically. I'd never been out of work...had no idea of the benefits structure.

All I'm trying to say is that there is light at the end of the tunnel. There will be peaks and troughs , much like this wonderful condition we all have. Don't worry about the past, you can't change it live in the here and now....the future, well nobody knows what's going to happen....laugh and cry...dont bottle it up....use your GP for support....there may be a community physiotherapist that can help with home aids....use this site it's helped me so much and I hope it helps you.

Sorry about the novel but I wanted you to know you're not alone it's happening to lots of lupies.

Take care and keep the twinkle in your eyes...not everyone's cup of tea, but Paul OGrady and Mrs Brown's Boys have helped me laugh and cry.

[Shadows-walker in reply to lizzidrippin]

Thank you you sound like a very positive person , I have had a blue badge this week , and a bath lift for my really bad days that is going to be a god sent in the winter ,my daughter is home now from uni ,she came home 2 weeks ago and for one so young she is really supportive ,I am ok it will all come out in the wash sorry post short but I want to try and thank everyone for support and a bit painey today although I am determined to go to a matinee performance of malifisence this afternoon with my 21 year old daughter get a bit of normality and escapeism x

[madmagz]

Hi Shadows walker

I can sympathise with you as I had to give up work over twenty years ago due to my health after studying hard for years going through my training and spending my whole life putting everything into my chosen career to be told I could not do what I had planned to do. I was gutted to say the least as it was more than a job to me it was a vocation - my life and all I had ever wanted to do. I tried several other jobs and never really got any particular job satisfaction and all the time my health was getting worse, in the end I ended up concentrating on myself and my children, I spent some wonderful years bringing them up and resting if I needed too and right now my health is pretty good. I have started to do some voluntary work as I hope to work one day in the future but need experience so this is a good way of getting it and if I need to take time off due to my health I can. It might be best to take time off and concentrate on yourself and giving your body a break, I know it seems stressful but once I had come to terms with the situation and had acceptance I felt better equiped to get on with life.

All the very best I hope that you manage to sort yourself out and get settled into a new way of life

Madmagz x

[Shadows-walker in reply to madmagz]

I think to be honest that is what I am going to do I think when I went off sick 5 months my body couldn't take anymore , and I have decided I am never going to do that to my self again , because at the end of the day the company I work for don't care about me they just care about profit if they prove me wrong that would be wonderful , but I doubt they will . Thank you for the support take care continue to enjoy your family the one think I have always will put first is my children I am going to go to the cinema this afternoon to see malifisence my daughter and I love the cinema she turns 21 next month and is off to japan with uni for a year in September so we plan to spend the next few months making memories Chris x

[madmagz in reply to Shadows-walker]

Your daughter is a similar age to mine and I know what you mean any time spent with them now is so valuable as they grow up and do their own thing more and more at least we will always have our memories that we can look back on with a great deal of love. I hope that you enjoyed the cinema and quality time with your daughter.

You are quite right about the company you work for at the end of the day it is a business and they are out to make profit and if they contact the job centre there are hundreds of people queuing up for every job so to them each employee is just another number on their books, so I am glad that you can see it from the point of view of putting yourself first and making yourself a priority as the suits at the top certainly won't.

I hope your daughter has a safe and exciting journey to Japan it is heart wrenching when they go away , my son used to be in the forces but the time passes and she will soon be in your arms again.

Enjoy making memories and I hope you have lots of fun together, take care and keep well

Madmagz x

[Kate-L]

Hi Shadows Walker, I had a similar situation when I was first diagnosed with SLE - the company I worked for would not give me any more time off for hospital appointments etc and so I too was 'let go'. This was back in the day when companies could tread all over you and get away with it - I was given no notice just telephoned at home and told not to come back in. I agree with Misty14, you need to go and speak with the Citizens Advice Bureau to make sure your company fulfills all its obligations to you. I really wish you well and hope you will be feeling better very soon.

[Shadows-walker in reply to Kate-L]

Thanks will do , have already been in touch but plan to speak to them again . X

[Lucy74]

It really depends on a variety of factors - the company's terms and conditions of employment for example, and what their HR policies are. Yes, we have employment law, but some companies stick to that very ridgidly and others may have policies that are more lenient.

It also depends on how your symptoms are preventing you from doing the job - you say that the job is physical. I wonder if an option might be for them to provide an alternative role for you - if it is a big company, perhaps there are other roles that aren't physical and that you could do? Are there reasonable adjustments that they could make for example, to reduce the stress element? So if there are targets which you are finding stressful, perhaps a reasonable adjustment might be for them to reduce the targets for you. f they are a big company with a variety of roles, they may find it hard to justify in an employment tribunal why they weren't able to make reasonable adjustments or by providing you with another role that you ARE able to do. A smaller company probably have more grounds.

Are you able to speak with HR? In most companies they are there for the employees to get advice from, as well as managers getting advice.

An employer can justifiably end employment if the employee is not well enough to do the role, but employment law protects in some examples. If your condition is severe enough to be classed as a disability, and you are dismissed because of it, you may be able to claim unfair dismissal for example. It's difficult to say without knowing all the detail.

But yes, definitely go to CAB.

[Shadows-walker in reply to Lucy74]

I think if the company had offices near by thet could place me in that department unfortunatly because I am rural based there isn't going to be anything they do for me and they can't really do anything about the people they have had working with me , that have no empathy for anybody other than themselves , I am sure in time I will be ok it's just going to take time ,thanks for your support x

[baba]

Check if the company are complying with the "disability equality act"

[Shadows-walker in reply to baba]

They will be they wouldn't want any bad press ,they seem to manage to just win most of what they touch they have the ways and means . I have had CAB on so it will come out in wash I am going to have to ring my union rep at some point and let him know to thanks for the support means a lot x

[sazzyb in reply to Shadows-walker]

Hi Shadows-Walker, I was in the same position as you some years ago. My company was London-based, I was based in the north. The CAB used to get all their employment law advice directly from the Pay and Employment Rights Advice Service in Manchester though I don't know who they use now as the Manchester group had to close due to funding cuts in 2012. A great shame, it was an amazing resource and they helped me enormously. All their factsheets are still online but you need to use they Wayback machine to access them. Here's their dismissal for sickness one:

web.archive.org/web/2012122...

[Shadows-walker in reply to sazzyb]

Thanks for that it's an interesting read ,they doing everything right but I expected them to .i suppose I should be fretting about all this really and one day I expect I will be cross ,but I haven't got the energy to be honest the only thing I want is to feel better . Thanks for the support Chris x