Need advice anyone c

[kimlouise1502_]

Need some advise. I'm a civil servant and today I was given my first written warning for being on the sick due to my diabetes. Two occasions first one went to work with the flu and my blood was 16 - 19 a manager told me to go home. Had to ring when I got home and went back the next day still not feeling 100% but managed. Next one stressed due to a issue in work. I was stressed with anxiety and depression. I wanted to take an overdose as I was really down. 10am I told a colleague who spoke to management at 10.30 ish. I was spoken to at 4.45 as management had a concern mmmm....... Next day told a manager I was going to the doctors and would I need to come back was told to ring when I came out of doctors. Before I left work the manager at the time sppke to me and said I need to get a sick note and have time off and management could see I was stressed with depression. Sick note I got was for a reactive depression Not specified. I now cannot have 2 days sick in 3 months. Then once the 3 months pass I cannot have sick for 9 months. Going to my union to appeal. I was wondering if any of you guys have problems like this now or ever and what can I do? I'm not a sick person but the last few months catching cold from colleagues due to the air con. Any help or advise would be much appreciated thanks x

 

[DCUKMod]

Need some advise. I'm a civil servant and today I was given my first written warning for being on the sick due to my diabetes. Two occasions first one went to work with the flu and my blood was 16 - 19 a manager told me to go home. Had to ring when I got home and went back the next day still not feeling 100% but managed. Next one stressed due to a issue in work. I was stressed with anxiety and depression. I wanted to take an overdose as I was really down. 10am I told a colleague who spoke to management at 10.30 ish. I was spoken to at 4.45 as management had a concern mmmm....... Next day told a manager I was going to the doctors and would I need to come back was told to ring when I came out of doctors. Before I left work the manager at the time sppke to me and said I need to get a sick note and have time off and management could see I was stressed with depression. Sick note I got was for a reactive depression Not specified. I now cannot have 2 days sick in 3 months. Then once the 3 months pass I cannot have sick for 9 months. Going to my union to appeal. I was wondering if any of you guys have problems like this now or ever and what can I do? I'm not a sick person but the last few months catching cold from colleagues due to the air con. Any help or advise would be much appreciated thanks x

Hi there KimLouise - Sounds like you've been in the wars in recent times.

I haven't personally had issues like this, but I have had experience of helping someone go through the process, in another area of the public sector.

Most employers have a sickness policy, which is really designed to ensure fair play when it comes to employees suffering from periods of absence from work, and also to ensure the business or department remains viable.

The first thing you need to do is to get a hold of you employer's absence policy and to ensure that the process is actually being followed. I'd also want to check my their record of events (absence dates and reasons) against my own. Most of these things are run via computer software and it can be easy enough to record the wrong number of days off, or indeed the reasons, bearing in mind those are usually list based, then notes added.

It is definitely an idea to have your union support you, as they will undoubtedly have been through this before.

Is there anything you feel is unusual about how your case has been dealt with, in comparison to your colleagues?

 

[miahara]

I also worked in the public sector and in a senior management position and I really do think you need to get support and advice from your union rep and has already been said a copy of your employers sickness/absence policy.
From what you've said you've only had a few incidences of absence, one due to your long term medical condition and another due to work induced stress. I find it quite incredible that you've been told that you can't have more than a specified number of days sickness absence over 3/9 months. You really do need to questiuon this.
My reaction to a member of staff with a medical condition that sometimes impacted on his or her ability to to do the job they were employed to do would have been " How can I assist you to manage your condition?" The work related stress issue is slightly different and a bit more complex as it could be due to unreasonable demands and/or an inability to cope with the 'normal' demands of the job and the latter could arise from a number of reasons. In this latter case resolution may be a period of absence signed off by a GP with or without medication and/or counselling.
The bottom line is that an employer has a duty of care.
I should perhaps add that I too cracked up due to work related stress. Was doing fine in a fairly high pressure job and then one day the balance was suddenly tipped and I ended up off work for eight weeks. I was lucky as when I phoned my boss apologising for being off, his reply was - "No need to apologise Dave, it's just like measles. If you've got it, you've got it. Don't worry just let us know when you want to return and any help you need."

Dave

 

[DCUKMod]

I also worked in the public sector and in a senior management position and I really do think you need to get support and advice from your union rep and has already been said a copy of your employers sickness/absence policy.
From what you've said you've only had a few incidences of absence, one due to your long term medical condition and another due to work induced stress. I find it quite incredible that you've been told that you can't have more than a specified number of days sickness absence over 3/9 months. You really do need to questiuon this.
My reaction to a member of staff with a medical condition that sometimes impacted on his or her ability to to do the job they were employed to do would have been " How can I assist you to manage your condition?" The work related stress issue is slightly different and a bit more complex as it could be due to unreasonable demands and/or an inability to cope with the 'normal' demands of the job and the latter could arise from a number of reasons. In this latter case resolution may be a period of absence signed off by a GP with or without medication and/or counselling.
The bottom line is that an employer has a duty of care.
I should perhaps add that I too cracked up due to work related stress. Was doing fine in a fairly high pressure job and then one day the balance was suddenly tipped and I ended up off work for eight weeks. I was lucky as when I phoned my boss apologising for being off, his reply was - "No need to apologise Dave, it's just like measles. If you've got it, you've got it. Don't worry just let us know when you want to return and any help you need."

Dave

As I recall the public sector policy that I looked at used two metrics for assessment on the Sickness and Absence policy. Those were x number of days in any given fixed period, or y instances of absence in that same length of time, on a rolling basis.

Of course that means that folks can get very unlucky and have a nasty flu (or whatever), plus an upset tummy and begin triggering the policy. Those examples were really just to illustrate a benign sickness record.

For most people it isn't an issue, because once over the hitch, the relevant period will expire "shortly".

The issue moving forward is triggering the next stage, and the next, and so on.

The person I was working with is protected under the Disability Act, for a different, but equally invisible condition, which all adds to the mix, to ensure that the reasonable adjustments are being applied, in the context of the policy.

One of the big learning pieces coming out of the piece I did was that everyone should be very mindful of the descriptions written on any sick notes. Most Doctors will try to make things as general as they can, to protect their patient's privacy (whilst complying with their certification requirements), whereas a general statement may not at all be in the best interests of someone protected under the DA.

 

[lou258]

I’m newly diagnosed t1 and had an occ health review. The nurse I spoke to told me any absence relating to my diabetes should be managed separately and should not lead to disciplinary action as it’s covered by the disability act (or whatever it’s been replaced with). So I’d def check this with your union too. Hope this helps

 

[DCUKMod]

I’m newly diagnosed t1 and had an occ health review. The nurse I spoke to told me any absence relating to my diabetes should be managed separately and should not lead to disciplinary action as it’s covered by the disability act (or whatever it’s been replaced with). So I’d def check this with your union too. Hope this helps

That is why you need to agree the words your Doc uses on any certificate and when self-certifying make sure that if your absence is due to your diabetes that you make that clear.

If you are unable to attend work because of diabetes, then you need that to be clear. The grey areas come where you might have, say a tummy bug, which knocks your numbers for six; are you truthfully unable to attend work because you need to be on a very short leash to the loo, or because your numbers went a bit out of line.

It can get tricky, as we see illustrated on here from time to time, but @miahara is absolutely right. Your employer also has responsibilities in their half of the agreement.

 

[kimlouise1502_]

I’m newly diagnosed t1 and had an occ health review. The nurse I spoke to told me any absence relating to my diabetes should be managed separately and should not lead to disciplinary action as it’s covered by the disability act (or whatever it’s been replaced with). So I’d def check this with your union too. Hope this helps

That is why you need to agree the words your Doc uses on any certificate and when self-certifying make sure that if your absence is due to your diabetes that you make that clear.

If you are unable to attend work because of diabetes, then you need that to be clear. The grey areas come where you might have, say a tummy bug, which knocks your numbers for six; are you truthfully unable to attend work because you need to be on a very short leash to the loo, or because your numbers went a bit out of line.

It can get tricky, as we see illustrated on here from time to time, but @miahara is absolutely right. Your employer also has responsibilities in their half of the agreement.

 

[kimlouise1502_]

Thank you guys. I was told by a colleague Thomas she had asthma then any day she had that are asthma related it do not go against her. I have been referred to occupational health and I'm going to mention this. I don't believe I should be on a warning as this was diabetic related. I have got my union rep involved. I was given my warning on Friday and was told that occupational health will be in touch. Thought I would need to speak to them before I was given my warning. I have look at our sickness policy and I'm allowed 6 days or 3 occasions as I have done this I'm on a warning. Not far with my illness as once you get ill with flu or stress it does knock me out. Will let you know what happens x

 

[kimlouise1502_]

Thank you guys. I was told by a colleague Thomas she had asthma then any day she had that are asthma related it do not go against her. I have been referred to occupational health and I'm going to mention this. I don't believe I should be on a warning as this was diabetic related. I have got my union rep involved. I was given my warning on Friday and was told that occupational health will be in touch. Thought I would need to speak to them before I was given my warning. I have look at our sickness policy and I'm allowed 6 days or 3 occasions as I have done this I'm on a warning. Not far with my illness as once you get ill with flu or stress it does knock me out. Will let you know what happens x

 

[kimlouise1502_]

My first sick was bloods were high I work manage told me to go home .....

My second sick was reactive depression due to work and diabetes 18 days off so im on a warning xx

 

[kimlouise1502_]

I have got a letter from my GP to explain what happens when stressed out and what my blood levels are like. I have called diabetes UK in Cardiff and was told that I will get a call back in the next few days to get this resolved as I should not be discriminated due to my disability. Will keep you updated x