hypo at work - told to get back to work by boss

noblehead

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Point 3 of the findings is astonishing! :shock:

Nigel
 

blonagael

Active Member
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Not had tribunal yet. I haven't lost hope. These are the results from the internal procedures by my employers.

I expected a closing of ranks and they also told me there would be a delay at one stage.

That's when I lodged my ET1 form. ET guidance states that you must keep to a strict time limit and not allow an internal procedure to exceed this.

The ET office have told me that my employer has been served and has 28 days to reply.

Cheers,
 

cugila

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People who are touchy.......feign indignation at the slightest thing. Hypocrites, bullies and cowards.
That's good. I think myself and others thought you were going through the ET procedure at the moment but obviously that hasn't started yet apart from the service of papers. It all takes time.

I still don't know if you are represented....if not get an advocate who is an expert. They will be better able to fight any case for you at the ET. They will also be able to advise you on the prospects of winning or not.

Have you been reprimanded, dismissed......what ?
 

blonagael

Active Member
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I'm represented at the moment by my union.

I've had a conduct interview which found my "behaviour" to be unacceptable.

My employer has not answered the question of what would happen to me if I ever have another hypo at work?

And I understand they have so far failed to act on the recommendation of the HSE inspector.

Thanks for comments.
 

tigger

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I used to do pro bono legal advice on employment at law clinics but haven't done it in 2 years so my knowledge is rusty.

I can only repeat the advice that others have given you.

Please check your contents insurance and see if you have the £50,000 legal cover. It's a very common add-on. The union may also be able to help with legal representation. Also worst case there may be some good conditional fee solicitors out there prepared to take your case on.

You are right that it's very important to keep to the ET time limits and not postpone these for any internal company investigations.

Good luck with this. There are decent employers out there.
 

Princesbold

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I know this is now quite an old post but felt I should add some advice, this is most certainly a case for an industrial tribunal, you can access the tribunal by visiting your local Citizans Advice Bureau, when you visit initially to tell of your incident they will make an assesment and then provide one of their own solicitors at no cost to yourself. I firmly believe you have a very strong case for Disability Discrimination, you have to proove nothing to your employer, it is for your employer to proove to the tribunbal that they have not Discriminated against you. The cost of doing this to your employer will almost certainly end with them settling the matter away from the tribunal with you. I also believe you would have a strong case for constructive dismissal, especially following the way you were treated following your hypo.
 

amyjamzy

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Can i just say.... why would you even think about wanting to work here?. i cant call them wat id like to on here how dare they say that to you!!! dont let them get away with it!! good luck sorry i cant help.
 

Beav

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I feel for you man. If you lost your job due to this ide imagine you get get him in to serious trouble. Sacked for having a hypo and yet at many places people turn up late because they have been out on the [****] the night before, lol. Ide be tempted to say [****] your job and walk out but now a days its so hard to find another job :(
 

squeeze321

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Hi blonagael,

I was shocked and sickened when I read about your experience of going hypo at work. How dysfunctional can they get? To provoke a diabetic person whose having a hypo in such a way is disgraceful.

I am also shocked to read that your boss was a first aider.

I have had type 1 diabetes for 30 year this year and I have had many jobs but have never experienced any issues like that in a work place. I had a manager who kept a can of sugar cola in her drawer because she had seen diabetics go hypo in the past. I always have sugary sweets on me anyway for emergencies but it was nice to know that she really understood.

I once went hypo at work and when I was eating dolly mixtures at my desk colleagues were helping them selves until I told them to S*D OFF and would they take an inhaler off an asthmatic.........all you diabetics out there don't let them pinch your sweets.
Blonagael the first aider in your company needs some info on diabetes and hypos they need to educate themselves before they feel the 'strong arm of the law....round their necks'
 
A

Anonymous

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Hi Blondgael. What was the outcome in the end? I do hope it was resolved to your satisfaction. Dave x
 

krazus

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JAZZ!
Gosh. It has been a very long time now.

I have just caught up on this thread.

Blondgael, any news?

Its such an upsetting situation, but i fear, even in this modern day, this is not an isolated incident.
 

hanadr

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Contact the advocacy service of Diabetes UK! they really can help
Hana
 
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bowell said:
just been thinking
Your manager hasn't taken your BG meter out of your locker has he :?:
If hes that nasty would not put it past him

It's funny you should say that because I had exactly the same thought. Pressing someone for the evidence contained in the meter when you know full well they cannot produce the meter is a low ploy but one I would think is possible.

It is strange that they refuse to believe the OP. I'm glad I am too old to work for that firm.
 

GraceK

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Erm ... your employer has a duty of care for your health and safety whilst you're in their employment and on their premises. As you did advise him that you were having a hypo and attempting to treat your hypo (let's face it staying alive was the most important issue here, not making your employers profit margin) - I'd tell him you're going to sue him for attempted manslaughter because he prevented you from giving yourself life saving treatment.

If someone was having a cardiac arrest I very much doubt the employer would have refused to allow the first aider to perform CPR and if he did, he'd be for the bloody high jump! Does your employment not have a Health and Safety policy and a First Aider?
 

koko87

Newbie
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Hi blonagael,

Just really wanted to say good luck. That is disgraceful behaviour by your boss and the company. One thing I will say though is there maybe a case for diminished responsibility - the swearing at your boss could have been a result of the affects of your hypo (sorry if someones already said this) it would be worth bringing up with the MAS. Normally I'm a really placid non-aggressive person but when I hypo I can literally turn in to Satan :evil: . Its not every hypo but its like the only thing my body wants is food/ sugar and if anyone gets in my way (which a few nasty bullies have tried - in the work place too) I will do anything in my power to get food. I often say (jokingly of course) there's nothing more dangerous than a hypo diabetic LOL. Getting a aggressive when hypo - not even aggressive but angry is completely normal its the fight of flight instinct from the huge surge of adrenalin.

I did have a similar experience to you in my very first job when I 16, I was the officer run around and had just dropped off the post to founding partner when I felt hypo he asked me to get him his morning coffee and I had to say "I'm sorry I will in a few minutes but I think I'm hypo and I have to eat first" he then screamed at me "if you not well just go home" I also swore at him and slammed his office door before going and doing a test and I think it something like 3.4. I should point out he was a employment solicitor who had also been a tribunal judge. He called me into his office the next day and apologised and mentioned the diminished responsibility which is why I have mentioned this.

Where I work now I furious when ALL the mangers got told in a health and safety brief many employers a seeking to have diabetes taken out of the Disability Discrimination Act, they think if they can get diabetes removed they can fight any DDA case. Which is something else you might want to discuss with the MAS (sorry I'f you already have)

I will be keeping everything crossed for you! No one deserves what happened to you.
 

nosqey

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Hi,sounds more like your boss was taking the p*ss.
Unfortunately this will happen more often if the tories get their way,if you are a member of a union have a word with your representative.
:thumbup:
 

jimmyt1988

Active Member
Messages
28
Reading this has made me extremely angry.

First and foremost... You are diabetic and if you're having a hypo... then you are supported by the law (thanks to disability act) to sort it the eff out.

Secondly, your boss simply cannot say this to you... He must (under the disability act) allow you to treat your hypo... so think long and hard about sewing his butt cheeks into the justice system.

Thirdly, what kind of complete [******] would govern his employees like that.

Fourth and final, you swore at him because you were having a hypo... When i have a hypo, I feel aggressive.. rule 101 of hypos is you get aggressive.. He would feel aggressive if he had no sugar in his blood... Perhaps he would be a bigger [******] than he already sounds.

[sentence removed]

What a hack.

*RAGEEEEE*
seriously, i'm going to go scream into my pillow.

Good luck mate, I wish you the best of luck in kicking his [***]

(The "facts" above are probably wrong.. but there is certainly a reason we are covered under the disability act)
 

koko87

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squeeze321 said:
I once went hypo at work and when I was eating dolly mixtures at my desk colleagues were helping them selves until I told them to S*D OFF and would they take an inhaler off an asthmatic.........all you diabetics out there don't let them pinch your sweets.
Blonagael the first aider in your company needs some info on diabetes and hypos they need to educate themselves before they feel the 'strong arm of the law....round their necks'

I once had someone do the same to me! I had a tub flying saucers on my desk and for some strange reason the department sweets bowl (we all bought sweets each month and put them in - why it ended up on the 1 diabetics desk I don't no!) but I had stuck a HUGE stickers on the flying saucers saying KAY'S HYPO FOOD on both sides of the tub yet everyday more and more went missing until one of the girls I work with very helpfully offered to lock it in her cupboard as I didn't have any room in mine.

Also one particularly nasty piece of work once went and bought jam doughnuts one lunch time for the department, minutes after I said I was high sugar 20.0+ (I had a chest infection) when she went round offering them out she stopped at me looked at me with a really nasty smirk and said "oh you can't have one can you". She also likes to say with the same smirk "should you be eating that? I'm only worried about your diabetes" when ever she sees me so much as look at a biscuit! :crazy: