Work are taking it further again

[BunnyMazonas]

I've had a letter from work today advising me to attend a disciplinary hearing related to the amount of time I've had off sick this year. The letter states that "the outcome of the hearing may result in disciplinary action being taken which may include dismissal".

I'm worried. I've checked everything over and I just wanted to check if anyone could recommend any points I should make?

I've checked my sickness and it is comprised of the following over a 12 month period;

16 days over 11 instances which related to anxiety flare-ups, side effects of my medication and "sensory overload" - something I experience in the office which sometimes leaves me needing to go home. All of these days are recorded on their records as either "nauseau/vomiting" "headache" or "depression".

13 days in a single instance where I was signed off by my GP on advice of my therapist. They had incorrectly loaded this as being 16 days long. Also, I actually came back to work on the 13th day (so would only have been 12 days) but was instructed to go home because my GP signoff sheet had me away that day, and work were not insured to have me in.

4.5 days in 2 instances where I was off due to side effects from changing medications, under request frommy employer who had asked if this was an option for me. It would have bene 5 days in 1 instance, but I tried to come back in for 1/2 day before I was fully better because I was concerned about my workload.

3 days off recently due to a chest infection.

Now, I know it is a lot of time off, and I know work have to follow their rules etc, but I am worried about what might happen. Work knew since March that my seating position in the office was causing the sensory overload and heightening my anciety, which caused some of my time off, and yet still nothing has been done; I can state with utter certainty that I would have had fewer days off if this had been resolved when I had first asked about it.

Can anyone advise me; what are my rights here? I don't want to lose my job!

[Kell]

I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure that's the last thing that you need.

I'm afraid I don't know what the legal position is but perhaps you could speak to Citizens Advice.

With regards to the meeting, do you have anyone that come in with you to offer support. It might be best for you to draft the points that you want to make so that you explain your situation fully. Perhaps they don't fully understand your situation. It could be that this is just standard procedure for the number of days that you've had off sick. I guess they need to be seen to treat everyone the same. In the meantime, maybe have a chat to your manager or HR dept & explain how worried you are about this.

Take care

Kel
x

[blueangel]

Hi Bunny

Are you in a trade union or staff association at all? If you are, then I strongly advise that you get in touch with them for some support. For any sort of disciplinary hearing, you should have been advised that you are allowed to take someone with you to support you - although this cannot be a solicitor.

If you're not in a trade union, then you can take a work colleague or a friend with you, but I don't advise taking a member of your family as they can get a bit too emotionally involved.

Your employers are legally obliged to warn you that dismissal could be an option, otherwise they are breaking employment law. If you haven't had any warnings before, then it might be that they just issue you with a warning and you'll have to undertake to improve your attendance over a given period.

However, employers can (and do) discipline people for taking lots of time off sick, as their opinion is that the employee isn't able to fulfil their contract properly. I know this sounds harsh, but I'm afraid it's the way of the world.

If you'd like a bit of help with this, drop me a PM as I'm a senior trade union official where I work and have represented lots of people in this position.

[ditzygirl]

You poor hing - this happened to me to and resulted in me resigning. Luckily I had a membership to a trade union which they new nothing about, but it was still a horrid thing to go through. It was so unfair I used to work with several mothers who were having a nighmare with teenagers and these mums needed time of for stress, school appts, counselling etc and that was ok but they couldnt' see anxiety or depression so they didn't offer me any support - but if Id been an alcoholic or on drugs they would!!!!!
You need to take as much advise as possible,Blue angel will hve all the correct help you need, but you might have to be realistic about your future, the more stress they put you under the worse you will be anyway and the most important thing here is YOUR HEALTH!!!

Please take someone with you to your meeting and good luck.

[photographymatt]

In these cases, I can see both sides(being on both sides at times)

your business only need to care about the fact that they are down one staff more than avg, which effects their profit etc, like blue angel said..I know it sounds harsh, but thats the world we live in.

and I can understand how you feel. I would suggest either going to citizen's advice or consider a job that doesn't effect you as much.

[BunnyMazonas]

Thank you so much, all of you, for your support and advice. Bluangel, I think after work today I'll contact you for a bit of advice if I can, you sound like you know what you're talking about!

I completely understand the position my employer is in... but I still need to do the best I can to protect myself. And I intend to! :)

:hugs::hugs::hugs:

Thank you again, all of you.