Please Help with this!!

[sthldnboy]

Hi everyone.

I need your advice.

I was off work with panic/anxiety at the beginning of the year for 8 weeks - all signed off by my doctor.

Recently i will have been off a further 6 weeks - this is due to having kidney stones and dealing with the treatment and after treatment where i have had 2 infectionss. I am under the treatment of Guys Hospital and my doctor has signed me off as well. Along with this my anxiety has come flooding back and i have not been great lately.

My boss has told me at present i am down t half pay until i return - but can they fire me or get rid of me because of my illness.

The first i was seen by the company doctor and he was very supportive, i told him i was seeing a counsellor and taking medication etc which i still am taking.

I am just worried now they will try somehow to get rid of me!!

Please help with any advice

Thank you

Paul xx

[samjane]

Hi Paul

As long as you have used the correct channels i.e. doctors, hospital and by having regular contact with your employers then no they are not able to dismiss you.

Going down to half pay is most probably in your staff hand book or in the company’s sickness and absent policy so maybe you could ask to have a look at this also why don’t you contact http://www.acas.org.uk/ or call them on 08457 47 47 47.

They are a great help in any employment situation and their advise is free.

Good luck hun

Sam

[Gabby]

Sorry Samjane but that isnt quite true- they can dismiss provided that they follow a fair procedure. There are a number of steps they have to go through and they must show that there is a business case for not continuing to employ you.

I agree you need to have a copy of their sickness policy and familiarise yourself with the steps that they should be taking. You must also check the terms of your contract.

Most companies will not take any action until you are nearing the end of your sick pay and they should to seek a formal medical opinion and also offer you suitable alternative work if they have it.

As Samjane says, ACAS offer vey good advice on their website and also over the phone. If you are in a union, you should contact them for advice also.

Please remember that you are able to be accompanied to any formal meetings to discuss your sickness so make use of that if you feel that you need or would like support. The company must offer you the option of being accompanied by a colleague or a union rep but may also allow a friend or family member - it should be spelled out iin your sickness policy. It's oftne really useful to take someone with you as it can be hard to take in all the info you are given and they can ask questions on your behalf.

I work in HR so please PM me if you need any more help.

Gabby

[Mayur Nagpure]

Going to psychiatrist will be better for you. I went to one and even tough he was not able to comfort me mentaly he did gave me some medicines for depression and attacks which works. So those medicines which your psych will give will be helpfull for you. All i have to do is to live on these medicines which works. So obviously it will work on you too. However there are also some technic you can use to control attacks, i do the same and that works too, like holding your breath for a while to breath slowly when u get attacks, meditation to calm yourself down, etc etc......oh yeah and if you control your attacks then obviously you wont have any problem with your lifestyle then everything will be fine with you, right ? so dont worry take control over your attacks. Its not going to harm you in anyways.