medical retirement or not??

[happyone]

I work for local government. Well....when I say I work for them, I say it loosely. I did work for them for 11 years before I became ill with anxiety depression, later diagnosed as bipolar. I have now been on and off sick for the past 2 1/2 years. Mostly sick, I think I have worked 7 months.

Pretty much they have been good to me. I have had full sick pay, half pay. I have had all reasonable adjustments made but I still could not cope with the stress my job brought. I have been told I can be redeployed, however, I have to go through an application process which my anxiety will just not let me do.

They have held on and on waiting for me to get to a place where I can start to engage in the redeployment process but it is just not happening. This recent bout of sickness is now at 11 months.

I met with my boss today and she has said that careful wording of a new medical referral could place me in a better situation for medical retirement. (I am 37) However, the last medical declared that medical retirement should not be considered at present.

I am a bit wary of this new move. I don't want to burn my bridges. If the occupational health people say they recommend retirement then my work will pay me off (I think:unsure:) but my pensions company might not agree to give me a pay off/pension as peeps with bipolar can work productively when treatment is right. So I am in a bit of a quandary.

Any similar experiences/thoughts?

Happyone
:)

[ElizabethJane]

I took medical retirement from my job in 1995. I had had a long period 'off sick' including being hospitalised. I dont suffer from bi-polar but from severe recurrent depressive disorder. The whole process was quite traumatic at the time as I couldn't return to my old job and felt traumatised and stigmatised by the whole process. I did receive a lump sum but as I had only been in my job for eight years it was a relatively small amount. It helped to pay off a few debts that I had whilst I was ill and a holiday. I now receive a small pension each month. I have returned to work since then. The first attempt was a bit of a disaster as I became ill again trying to come off my lithium ( because I wanted to try for another baby. I now work for a friend so I have two tax codes. The pension people will want to know of any future employment that you might take on. I suggest that you have someone else present at any tribunals/medicals and always get a written report. Have somebody to act as advocate on your behalf. The process is traumatic but it will be worth it in the end if it is the right step for you at this time.