Attendance at work and disciplinary

[Choccy]

Hi guys, happy new year to all. I'm having a few problems with my well known supermarket employers. Basically i was struck down with the novo virus 4 days after xmas and had 2 days off work. My abscence percentage for half year is 4%. The majority of absences i have had have been from hypos. I have recently attended the Carb counting course with plans to go on an insulin pump. Since then my hba1c has improved dramatically and i have had no hypos at work. Basically i am doing everything i can to attend work, however after my attendance review i was told it was going to a disciplinary. After discussing the issue with another manager shortly after all managers were told anyone who was off during the xmas period, who was also off last xmas would be comed down on like a tonne of bricks. Unfortunately, last xmas i was also off with hypos. Feel a bit miffed that after tighting up my blood sugars im now being disciplined! Im taking an union rep in with me 2moro for the disciplinary and was wondering if anyone has any thoughts or advice! Cheers in advance.

 

[CherryKerry]

Sounds very much like Tesco.

 

[Choccy]

Spot on!!

 

[CherryKerry]

I work for them also.
Bear with me, I'm just talking to my mother in law because she is a senior union rep and knows a lot because she helps me.
But as far as I'm concerned I didn't thing they could disapline us if it was diabetes related. But hang on, I'll get back to you ASAP.

 

[CherryKerry]

She said that she thinks your percentage should have been raised. She said ifits taken to disciplinary put in a grievance under the Equalities Act formerly the DDA. She also asked who is your rep and which Tesco do you work in?

 

[angieG]

Would they have preferred you to go into work with the Novo virus then? :***:

 

[Choccy]

Im phoning the regional rep in the morning, think a grievance is on the cards. I work at an extra in plymouth. Thanks for your advice!

 

[chezt]

Hi i work for Co-op n there as bad, I've just gone down that road with a grievance against my manager for complaining about my time off due to a miscarriage n being diagnosed with kidney problems n thyroid trouble, they referred me to atos which deals with long term sickness n basically there's nothing the employers can do about so that's one to me!!

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[Nik442]

Hi all, where i work we have a return to work interview which is a series of questions that you are required to answer one to one with your manager. the last time i had a day off i made sure it was recorded in the interview that i had been diagnosed with diabetes and my employer has agreed in writing to support me if i need time off for diabetes....ps i dont work for a supermarket.

Nik

 

[chezt]

Hi nik
we have back to work interviews but our manager couldn't b bothered to do it!!

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[Choccy]

They had to adjourn immediately on saturday because i requested a letter as to why it was going to a disciplinary and i have now received that letter. The reason they give is having a 4% absence due to diabetes on 3 occasions. Monday i have my disciplinary!

 

[CharlottePotter]

I was once threatened with a disciplinary, I pointed out I was covered by the (then) dda and she back pedalled so fast !!!!!!! She said she would look into it and the next I heard they were dropping it!!!!!!!


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[hanadr]

Take a union rep with you. If you are not a member then join now¬
Hana

 

[Flower moon47]

Hi it's a good idea to find out what the company policy says regarding sickness and disability!!! Then look at the equality policy and if not in a union good idea to join one!!! Give copy of policies to union rep for you both to go through and see if company is following policy correctly!!!! If they are not you can put in a grievance!!! Good Luck


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[glenmoray]

Try discrimination against diabetes. I too have been going through sickness issues because of my diabetes. My bosses had me on a first stage and because I had a hypo at work and went off sick a few days tried to put me on a second stage. We looked into it and found employers should make allowances for people with diabetes and give them proper breaks and a room to inject and test my sugars. As soon as my union rep mentioned discrimination my managers have become kittens giving me breaks, a fridge to put my insulin in, a room to test and give injections and kept me on a stage one. Hopefully I will have more problems.



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[blueeyed81]

I think its disgusting that companies such as tescos are treating there staff like this, I work for a world wide company which is a cinema group and there fantastic, had hypo's at work a few times and bern given as much time as needed to rectify this and have been offered the use of the fridge in the managers office to keep insulin incase I forget to take one in as I have twice and had my partner bring it in to work for me, id read up on the guudlines most companies have as a rule on where you stand but I'd say thats definitely discrimination due to being diabetic.

Kelly

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[Jakelanning]

Hello. I used to work for waitrose, they seemed to be very understanding to start off with and then things just went downhill if I'm honest. If it gets really bad there are plenty of employers that give you support every step of the way. My current employer is fantastic!


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[Alasdair]

How serious are these hypos that you're taking that are causing you to take time off work? Are we talking about passing out and requiring assistance/hospital etc?

 

[dave howard]

I used to work for the well known supermarket and kept being told that diabetes is not under the protection of the DDA as it was then. My problem used to be having time off with migraines brought on from my bg either going low then high,or visa versa .I had several "supporting your attendance" interviews, however I always came out feeling that the only people being supported were my employers. I am now retired through ill health, even when I was a manager for them and had to do the interviews following the written set format I used to try to find ways of assisting the staff member by altering shift/break times. The main problem is that employers who haven`t got it can`t relate to living with it.

 

[dave howard]

Would they have preferred you to go into work with the Novo virus then? :***:

They would want you in as long as you arent handling open food, they dont worry.It`s only when handling unwrapped food they worry about the customers more than their staff.