Advice needed!

[smudge1980]

Good morning to you all,

I have been absent from work since Oct 2014 due to lack of understanding of my conditions. I have sle & Sjogrens. I react very badly to lights & sunshine. I did have certain things put in place so I cld work, but new store manager came in & well...new broom n all that. Seen occ health, my conditions were suppose to be put bk in place, but now I've been told my job don't exist anymore. Every time I ask what job will I be able to do I come up against a brick wall. Yes I will be taking legal action, but I feel their putting pressure on me so I'll be the one to put my notice in & they won't have to ill health dismiss me. They know they've done wrong. My question is...can a gp deem you unfit for work for ever? I cannot take feel like this for much longer. I need to get the stress its all causing put bk in its box. I've been in a bad flare since last Oct & deeply depressed by it all. I have given my manager/company every leaflet/download I can to help them understand but to no avail. Thanx for taking the time to read my moans

[Footygirl]

Oh Smudge what an awful situation.

I extend my sympathy to you and agree it does sound unfair. I wonder if the main site has any information for you.

I know for certain that their will be people on hete who have been treated like you and will give you their advice.

We are all behind you. We share your indignation. We all support you. You are not alone.

Very best wishes for a successful outcome.

No doubt you must be feeling so frustrated, but hang in there.

Hugs of sympathy and support

OOOO

[smudge1980 in reply to Footygirl]

Hi footygirl, thanx for your support, it means an awful lot just to of load & no there's others out there who understand. My manager was suppose to phone this afternoon & didn't. All adds to my stress. Their a big company & think nobody will challenge them, but I will get the strength from somewhere x

[misty14 in reply to smudge1980]

Hi Smudge

So sorry to read about your health and work problems. My advice would be to contact LupusUk for their fact sheet on work and the Citizens Advice Bureau who have employment specialists that will help you deal with your workplace and or occupational health. Whatever the outcome they will also ensure you get all the money your entitled to too!. It would help alleviate some of the stress that won't be helping your health!. Good luck.X

[Cindylynn]

Sorry to hear you've been fighting a flare and that your company is being so rotten to you! I've been in your shoes and like you did okay with the right arrangements but have also left a job when the company made it difficult ( to qualify me to return to work they required me to see a physician of their choosing - he turned out to be a psychiatrist working out of the local jail - who asserted I was fine and it was in my head)... My next two jobs have carried me through, each alerted at the outset that I've got lupus and occasionally have bad days - incidentally it was getting a new boss after 6 years who let all the gals over 40 go which lead to my current job. Small consolation it wasn't the lips but it did coincide with my return to work after a bad flare. Hang in there!!

[fabwheelie]

Sorry your going through all this. This is a link to Lupus UK info about working when you have Lupus - lupusuk.org.uk/living-with-....

One of the guides is useful to show employers.

Lupus is a disability so covered by the equality act, hence your employer should try to help you stay in work/ make "reasonable adjustments".

If your in a pension scheme and have worked for the company for a while you may be entitled to an "ill-health retirement pension" so that may be an option rather than just getting dismissed through ill-health. If your in a union seek their advise.

I had to stop working due to Lupus -- went through my employers disciplinary proceedure / occupational health. They advised retirement due to ill-health as I was not well enough to work/ there were no reasonable adjustments. Whilst waiting for retirement to go through I got dismissed due to ill-health. I had a struggle to get the retirement and had to appeal an initial decision not to give me retirement and the pension --- for my appeal my GP and consultant were willing to say it was unlikely that I'd ever be fit for work--- I had to push them to put this in writing, as I was only 37 at the time and Drs were a bit reluctant to "write me off", but I needed them to do so in order to win my appeal and get the ill-health retirement.

For me having to give up work was very hard to accept, but with hindsight it was the best thing for my health as I can now fully rest/ sleep/ pace myself as needed and I have less stress, all of which helps me stay "as well as I can be"

[Marie95]

Hi Smudge,

Firstly so sorry to hear that this has happened to you, and I have had experience of a similar situation at work. You will be covered by the equality Act, so your employer needs to make reasonable adjustments within the workplace to accommodate your needs, what you now need to do is enforce those needs/ changes, take legal advice, are you in a union at work? Personally I would contact the boss and discuss the options in a non confrontational but firm manner, and refer to the Equality Act, which they have a legal obligation to fulfil, (record what is said) if they still do not comply then take legal action as a last resort, do keep us posted how you get on

Good luck