Work wear

[Emma020884]

Hi I work in a pharmacy n our shop has no heating n suffer really bad with raynoids I wear protective boots to work to keep my feet warm and we have fleece jackets that were supplied to us a few years back, we are now being told the fleece coats r no longer uniform n need to take them off I no if I do I'm going to get very sick, my doc wrote me a letter explaining my illness n need to b warm at work n he's going against it canhe do tthis??

[Philip]

Is it a cave orxa shop uou work in? What did your slavr masters say? If they dont care maybe another job or sickness benefit, or thermal under garments, not sexy i know lol.

Is it a big company? If so write to the head office and explain to them.

I hope you find the way through this soon.

Philip

[Emma020884 in reply to Philip]

he come back to me yesterday n said hes contacted head office regarding my condition n my sick note covers me for my jacket and boots but once the heating is fitted ive got to take it off, we will see lol i also have a under active thyroid so feel the cold so much more than normal, i need to keep warm whys ill be very ill x

[zenabb]

Tell them that you will complain to the employment tribunal (say it jokingly but mean it. that should be enough) and tell your doctor.

[Emma020884 in reply to zenabb]

he come back to me yesterday n said hes contacted head office regarding my condition n my sick note covers me for my jacket and boots but once the heating is fitted ive got to take it off, we will see lol i also have a under active thyroid so feel the cold so much more than normal, i need to keep warm whys ill be very ill x

[judyt]

From what I know from others who live and work in the UK it is unlawful for an employer to refuse to respond to a disability. Scleroderma is a registered disability!!

[Emma020884 in reply to judyt]

yer hes not very understanding at all how much i suffer, always turning of the one blow heater we have in the shop to keep us warm, but if it carrys on ill just go off sick, ive not got scleroderma, ive got raynoids and under active thyroid been tested for other antibodies and tested negative x

[PatientX]

Hi, You need an legal advisor. Try the Citizens Advice Bureau. There is a minimum legal requirement under the Offices, Shops, and Railway Premises Act to maintain a minimum temperatures in a workplace such as yours. If the heater does not maintain this then they are breaking the law.

[Emma020884 in reply to PatientX]

i thought there was no law against minimum temperatures but only a maximum

[titanicus in reply to Emma020884]

Hi Emma, the bottom line of this is that your employer as well as every other employer in the UK, has a 'duty of care' to all their employees.

In addition there are Health and Safety regulations that are in place to prevent this situation.I.E. inadequate heating, which is actually unlawful.

Hope you can rectify this wrong. The law is on your side. Take care.

[eletra]

I would think not you must report this situation, you have a contract of employment and this is not a stackable situation, stand your ground, you have a job to do and to do it efficiently you need to be in a healthy environment. Good luck.. Michele

[Emma020884 in reply to eletra]

i am with the union so if he carrys on ill be taking it further, even in the summer im cold

[graygirl1]

When the heating is fixed there is no saying you will feel very much warmer. My heating is on from 8am to late night and my fingers and feet are as cold as ice at all times. My fingers and feet are freezing now and I am sitting in front of the radiator so I know how you feel. You must seek employment advice. I don't think they are allowed to discriminate as you have a medical condition.

I am in agreement with others on this. Your employer shouldn't force you to do anything which is going to worsen your condition and should help you so you can work effectively and in comfort. The company has a duty of care towards you and should accept the medical report and make some allowances for you. It doesn't sound like a big ask to me.

I would contact CAB at the first available opportunity for advice. Find out what your rights are and be ready when next you are asked or told to remove your warm fleece. Don't refuse but explain again why you need to wear the fleece. Get some leaflets about Raynaud's from the RSA or your GP and offer them to your collegues to read or just leave them in the staff room. Hopefully a little knowledge will help to make them more sympathetic towards you.

Wear as much warm clothing under your uniform as possible and wear socks as well as stockings in your boots/shoes.

I wish you all the best and look forward to reading how you're coping so keep in touch with the forum. In the meantime, enjoy Christmas. Wrap up well when you go out. Woolley hat, scarf, gloves, socks, leggings, thermal underwear, the lot.

Graygirl1

[Emma020884 in reply to graygirl1]

i no excatly how u feel i have my heating on constantly at home and i am always cold, i am with the union so if he carrys on ill be taken action against him, i wont be taking of my warm jacket the shop door is constantly being left open by customers and even in the summer our shop is cold, i also have a under active thyroid which one of the symptoms for that is feeling the cold alot more than normal, i have worked for my company for 11 years now and all my other managers have never been this understanding about my condition, being a pharmacist u think he would no what raynoids is n how dangerous it is if i get cold n threatening me that if i dont take the jacket off hes going to send me home sick, well if he does i hope its with full pay, i wear thermals under my work uniform which doesnt really help much i find it very hard even to go out in the winter so he should be happy im coming to work not making it more difficult for me x

[seekingfreedom]

Bless you. That's very unfair. The disability discrimination act should offer you so e protection? Would definitely go to CAB as any employer has to make 'reasonable adjustments' to accommodate an individuals medical condition. Good luck, hope you gat it sorted!

[living-the-dream-ssc-ray in reply to seekingfreedom]

now replaced by The Equalities Act which gives an even wider scope for disability with the duty on the employer to take into account employee's disabilities / medical conditions. To ignore the condition = discrimination.