Hi all only joined this forum today FB ones can be to much. Hoping this is more UK based as well. For the 1st time in 16 years of diagnosis I have been of work since 10 march. Started flaring up in Jan but struggle d to get to work but doing some office work rather than my normal job of light maintenance/ testing on shop floor well then we had Covid I had a 12 week later which then work extended furlough to end July. Still in a flare but 50% better since on 5mg prednisalone which is great but not well enough to return to work. Same company for 18 years.Then yesterday received a letter ref long term sic maybe I cannot return to old job. So dissmisal due to health..as No office jobs available at the moment.. I'm frightened I'm going to be unemployed at 58. Need to keep working for a few more yes..I have spoke to NRAS help line were great. Need to contact ACAS monday. So advise please.. oops it a long one
Keeping my job: Hi all only joined this forum today FB... - NRAS
Keeping my job
Skidlid ACAS a great place to start as there are so many hurdles to go through and also to make sure they have taken your RA into account which is a disability too. It might be stressful to do all the admin but if they are doing the process wrong ACAS will arm you with info.
Feel hard done by. It was not my choice to go back to the shop floor that's when the deterioration started
Listen to Deeb she knows what she talking about
Welcome skidlid. I’m glad you are talking to ACAS on Monday, don’t agree to anything until you’ve spoken to them as there may be other options. I couldn’t return to my job and took early retirement due to ill health so I had access to my pension. I hope you don’t lose out financially. Let us know how you get on and good luck 😊
Kitty I do not really have much of a pension that's why I need to work for a few more years. Or I would just go. Last year we down sized for a bungalow (my wife has MS ) to have some savings for retirement they could all be gone by the time I get there.
It is a works pension that I get skidlid. Things may be different now but I was offered early retirement which was a lump sum and a monthly pension. It was quite a while ago though and I was quite young so hadn’t built up much in contributions but it has made life easier. I really hope things work out well for you and your wife. You can do without the worry.
Welcome, some good advice above. Do let us know how you get on?
☹️ that's pants! hope you get it all sorted out, wish you all the best 🙏
You need help with this one and i am not skilled to answer this, but if ACAS is the place recommended then do it first thing tomorrow.xxxx
Here we go it' s not exactly light reading but worth looking at some parts of the equality act etc. If anything applies to you write it down pre ACAS call and also make sure you have start date of the job when affected by RA etc some form of timeline. Also questions you need answers too so you do not forget anything.
equalityhumanrights.com/sit...
Hello again Deeb. Will check out that link
i was retired on health grounds but lucky to have wrkbased pension and also got DLA. Def read Deeb link, it shd help. aso, get someone to check 4u , maybe your wife cd get carer's allce as she has MS.? wishing u all luck in world x
GranAmie do not know about any benefits as yet. .need to look into this
Hi Skidlid, you definitely need to speak to ACAS, also are you a member of a union as they should be able to support you, they can’t just dismiss you on Health grounds without taking into account yr disability.
Hope you get sorted soon 😘
S
No union at our place Japanese company's don't like them, in my letter it says I can take a union rep ( there is non ) or work colleague. Id rather take a friend not sure if I can yet
Hi, yes you can take a friend with you and they can take notes etc on yr behalf, but you should not be dismissed due to yr health when you have a disability, it should be medically retirement with access to full pension as if you’d worked to yr retirement age. ACAS should advise you that. Or if you don’t want to leave that company they should make reasonable adjustments so that you can work. To be honest, I’m 58 and just got new employment as I handed my notice in at my last job, manager was a pain...
so don’t feel that’s the end, there is work there if you want to work. X
S
Speak to ACAS, have plenty of notes (and take down notes of what ACAS say; I think it is usual for you to be allowed to have a union rep or a colleague to attend a meeting with you - they can’t speak/answer on your behalf, but they can take notes for you. Often, if you have someone else you would rather take or is more qualified, then the employer would normally be advised by their advisers to agree to it. It may be worth joining a union just to get A union rep to be able to accompany you - have a search round the internet. Don’t try to ‘go it alone’ as there is help out there! Maybe even look at your home/car insurance Policy to see if you’ve got any legal cover - if so, make a call and see if it covers you for this. Please keep us posted.
Really house /car insurance you sure
Worth checking - I’ve known people who have found they’re covered! On the other side, we were, as a business, but hadn’t realised!
Hi I worked for the NHS I was made to retire on ill health grounds as my other option was becoming bank staff which basically meant that they wouldn’t ring me and I wouldn’t have any work (change to contract). I’m not daft and eventually agreed to retirement on ill health grounds. I did have to go to a tribunal but it was only box ticking exercise I was still very upset about it because I loved my job and gave it my all. The good news is to get my full pension at the age of 49 the pensions people paid for my GP to write a run down of my disability and condition (best bit of paper I ever got). As a result I got my full pension as if I was retiring when I was the right age. The letter also enabled me to get ESA (employment support allowance) contribution based and I was put straight into the support group. I also have been awarded full mobility and daily living (Pip). So if your disability means you are unable to work even for a short amount of time then there is help out there. If you feel that they are forcing you to leave and you are able to work then definitely go for either unfair dismissal and if not why aren’t they making you redundant ? Definitely get in contact with ACAS because it’s discrimination if nothing else. I would say you do have to be honest with yourself too though whether you can in fact ever return to work. It’s hard to do that but be honest with yourself it’s better for your mental health. Good luck and yeah take a friend.
Thanks great reply Leics. Detaols help..My wife had to give up work a good decision for her. Not sure for me more than capable of office work if they want to give me a job providing meds can get me out of this flare up ( if that's not possible then maybe time to go
If your wife had to give up work because of health then definitely claim carers allowance for her anyway. I had always worked even part time after having my children so I know claiming benefits is difficult and trust me they don’t make it easy. But if you lose your income due to ill health and disability then at least it takes the pressure off. I never claimed anything at anytime before I became disabled and as I receive the top rate I know the possibility of me getting any better and being able to work again is unrealistic. If you’ve worked all your life a lot of the benefits you can claim for are not means tested. I didn’t have a choice.
Also, I forgot to mention, your employer should also be following the ‘
correct procedures - ACAS should be able to go through that with you.
You are right they should maybe they are . But the company have been to tribunal many timed
PPS! Attendance allce is apparently not means tested, so might help if you are retired n become a f/t carer.
GranAmie I'm new to this .never claimed any thing before what's PPS
it's short for ... yet another postscript ie a second or third PS. I dash off a post b4 my hands go on strike... and then remember something else. take care ! xOk yes must not forget CAB
Yes I need to be careful. Last thing would be to come away with nothing
Just noticed I'm not old enough only 58
I'm new to exploring the benefits maze myself so don't take my word for it, but from what I understand Personal Independence Payment is the "working age" equivalent of Attendance Allowance (which as you've rightly noted, is for those of pensionable age).
PIP alone isn't enough (for most people!) to live on, so if necessary you may need to look into other benefits too, but it's aimed in supporting you with the additional costs you might face as someone with RA and it isn't means-tested, so definitely worth looking into regardless of whatever other decisions you may make.
Thanks cass24 that makes sense now. What is defined as additional costs though?
I'm probably not the best person to ask since, as admitted, I'm fairly new to it all myself, but as I understand, IF you qualify (and judging by my own post today, that's a big IF)... it could cover costs such as someone to come in and help with household/personal needs or other adaptations/gadgets you need to make life easier.
There's more info on the government site (gov.uk/pip) but also the NRAS has a very good section on benefits generally though I don't have the direct link to hand.
Cass yes that makes sense. At the moment sort from a pair of grips to take the lid off the jam I'm not to bad. Need to get out of this flare up
That’s right I use it to pay a cleaner 🙄 but then lockdown happened. I’m going to have lever taps fitted and a comfort toilet .
probably but give CAB Citizens Advice a ring if you can, they have people who specialise in the benefits system [maze] and know their way round it all. save yrself some of the stress.
Hi all well had my meeting at work . I felt as if I had to say once I get right meds I could return to my old job ( which probably is over optimistic ). Awaiting a letter from work to see what they say. I also said I was very disappointed on the letter threatening dismissal all ready and the way I have been treated by a world wide company. If I do get dismissed looks like I will get nothing from the state as have a little savings ,yet paid taxes for 43 yrs aarrgghh
Fatigue and claiming on my income protection policy.
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