Newbie - with New Job and employer concerns over IBS

[Sidknee]

Got offered a job last week, its working in a secure place where I would escort contractors. I completed the Occupational Health Questionaire and the nurse called me back for more information regarding my spells of diarreah. I have yellow tinted poo, which she said is IBS.

The employer called me today to say he has concerns that I might not manage because areas of the site, like roof spaces are well away from toilets and that I would have to stay with the contractor until he has finished.

Understandably he is correct. TBH since October 2018 when my Sukkarto SR was doubled to 1000mg breakfast and teatime, my IBS has been awful. My holiday that half term was painful to say the least and I had one accident and a few very near misses.

Since then I have found Soya is a primary cause, since its in most bread, chocolate, tofu and chinese foods. Cutting the soya is helping, but I still have IBS frequently but not daily for weeks on end.

My question is should I go and take this job on? My boss to be said that I could call for help from the department, but that might take a long time to reach me.... especially if I was on a night.

He is suggesting, I think I retract my acceptance, because the site is secure and they cannot have toilets close by in every place I would be working.

Any advice would be great. I realise under the Equalites Act they have to put support in, but the company I will be working for is a FM company and not the owners of the site.

S.

[Cinnamonan]

I work in HR and my advice would be that as with any job you will be weighing up the prospects with personal circumstances and responsibilities.

I would think about what it is you need in a role to support your wellbeing.

You may also want to speak to this potential employer about how you might be able to make this work through reasonable adjustments - occ health can sometimes make recommendations to help you but also make them to your employer to support you at work.

Could it work if you had shorter, more regular breaks daily ?

What protocols can be put in place should you feel unwell?

If you’ve identified triggers and done what you can to mitigate impact, then they should be able to look at what they can do to make it work too.

[Sidknee in reply to Cinnamonan]

The job is a part time Contractor Escort, in a secure location. Parts of the site do not have or cannot have toilet facilities, ie near a roof void.

I pick up the contractor when they arrive and stay with them till they have finished. They could be in the grounds they could be working on the roof. I have been told that I cannot leave the contractor without someone covering me, this takes time even with radio, time I might not have.

Occ Health have recomended I work close to toilets. My employer has said this is not possible as some places or work, ie the Roof don't have toilets close by.

Frequent Breaks I doubt would work as the more breaks I have the more often I will need someone to cover me.

If I become unwell I am to radio for assistance.

I have informed them, they say it might not have toilet close by and to call for assistance.

The risk is dependent on what I have eaten, when I took the Sukkarto SR and where I am working. I can be careful about when I take Sukkarto SR, ie on a full stumoch. and watch out for Soya in food products. There is also the level of fitness I am at, which isn't great, I am heavily overweight with T2 Diabetes.

I know they are abliged to look at what they can do to make it work for me, but it is easy to say I am not suitable and look to employ someone else, which is basically what he (I interpret as) is saying to me.

At the moment these episodes are frequent but not a daily occurrence mostly once or twice a week. I have cut out on Soya and make sure the Sukkarto SR is taken with food. They don't happen in the morning or evening either, I have had to rush to the loo during the day also.

My daughter says I am over thinking and should do the job and apply for other work that is more suitable, my partner is trying to get me to make my own mind up and my Fluxotine controlled mind hasn't got a clue what to do.

[Cinnamonan]

Thanks for sharing.

Ultimately I do think you have to take into consideration your requirements.

If your illness is likely to impact your ability to do the job, or the employer doesn’t have the scope to accommodate then I can understand their hesitation. Occ health makes recommendations based on your health circumstances, but these are for the employer to determine if they can reasonably make adjustments. Sometimes you unfortunately just don’t have the resources to make those adjustments.

I would recommend thinking carefully about whether this role is going to give you what you need in terms of support for your wellbeing. Only you can determine that, and weight up whether the role responsibilities are something that you can be comfortable with.

Perhaps write out a list of all the things you need from a job?

Things like: being near a bathroom, having some flexibility with work schedule, not having long travel times etc.

Then research some potential roles based off those requirements.

I hope you find that role.

[Sidknee in reply to Cinnamonan]

Thank You for your advice. I have made a decision based on this morning and I will continue to apply for jobs. I now understand what he means, that this morning in the last 2.5 hrs I have been 3 times - couldn't do that in reality in a secure environment.

[Cinnamonan]

Good luck