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Boots sent worker home

J

JConnor

Well-Known Member
Messages
106
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Anyone seen East Midlands today? A type1 worker has been sent home as they will not allow him to carry sweets into work as they tightening security. Workers are only allowed water. Despite being on insulin and explaining he need to carry hypo treatment they are refusing to let him. Surely this is disability discrimination?


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Re: Boots sent worker home


That really is shocking, what is this country coming to? Shame on Boots, if that is the case.

RRB
 
Re: Boots sent worker home

I had the exact same thing. I worked in a cinema and wasn't allowed to keep anything on me. I had to keep it in my locker. I was told I could go to my locker any time I needed to test. Then I was left on the pick and mix stand for 6 hours with no break, despite asking to be relieved as I was going hypo. My managers only finally listened when I collapsed. This was years ago and I was a lot younger. If that happened now I would have just left my post.


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Re: Boots sent worker home

This might be a dumb question, what has carrying sweets on oneself in case of a hypo got to do with security, unless its the needle thing? I would also ask as JC suggested surly its against the disability discrimination act as they would need to provide a suitable alternative.
 
Re: Boots sent worker home

Does boots have a duty of care to all both staff and customer????
 
Re: Boots sent worker home

I'd love to see Boots's answer to this one in a tribunal. Suggest this worker contacts the equalities and human rights commission who are pretty good in this sort of situation.
 
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This seems to contravene the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). The poor person should sue them if so!
 
Re: Boots sent worker home

Well let's not just jump on the wagon together here we can see it could be a problem! It's giving the freedom to the worker to suck sweets when he/she wants; even though he/she is diabetic and may need sugar. They would no doubt however have come up with an alternative and maybe they did and we just didn't hear that side of it. It's unlikely they would just say no without a discussion on it don't you think?
They are trying to maintain their focus on customer and how a sweet sucking member of staff would be perceived. It's more than likely they had made some other option for the diabetic person but it has failed to be reported. So hang on and see what more is said.
We know when a hypo is coming on and we know that if we don't eat at certain times we are more likely to get a hypo. I don't think having diabetes is a reason to lean on it. There are sensible options for that situation at work and I'm sure that boots (no I'm not a boots worker or anything like that), would have offered a solution that was rejected.

Find out the facts before condemning boots. If it turned out they didn't want to discuss something further on the subject, then ok, then you'd be right to shout about it. 8)
 
Re: Boots sent worker home

Met a lovely lady in tesco who has all she needs needles sweets water etc etc at her check out....she even shows her needles and talks about diet.....a great check out member of staff....I learnt a lot when I was doing my shopping.....a good flexi needs based person centred approach by tesco.....
 
Re: Boots sent worker home

Boots as an employer needs to make a "reasonable adjustment" for their diabetic workers.

Same with every employer to be honest.

If they aint, probably speak to hr


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Re: Boots sent worker home

If they can't even carry sweets, I wonder would they expect a pump user to detach their pump to work.
 
Re: Boots sent worker home

Sounds to me like the usual mountain out of a mole hill newspaper story, it was probably just some ill informed and OTT security guard who didnt know any better.

I doubt very much that it is Boots policy to deny a T1 diabetic their hypo kit.

Generally if it is spoken by a politician or reported in a newspaper its not true or at least not the whole truth. I posted a quote recently on another thread which I think is worth repeating and sums up news reporting perfectly.

 
Re: Boots sent worker home

Boots have long had a bad reputation where diabetics are concerned. The hospitals in my local area all boycotted them when it was established that not only were Boots charging double or more for 'diabetic' foods, but that they were also extremely higher in fat than other brands.
Having said that this scenario is very different, if I were this person I would advise them to get onto their HR department as I am certainthey would be able to resolve any issues.
 
Re: Boots sent worker home

I agree with Sid. I'd bet money we're only getting half the story.



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Re: Boots sent worker home

Maudie G what a load of tosh! It sounds as if he only wanted to keep the sweets in his pocket, not sit there munching away whilst serving customers! Perfectly sensible of him - if he felt a hypo coming on he could deal with it there and then rather than having to come away from his position, go to his locker, deal with the hypo away from the judging eyes of the public?? Therefore running the risk of being hypo and alone, in a staff locker room away from his colleagues and offer of assistance - this would clearly be putting his health in jeopardy. I doubt very much customers would mind him eating a couple of dextrose whilst serving - they'd probably be more shocked if he collapsed in front of them. By carrying a hypo treatment he is not stating that he fails to control his diabetes as best he can but these things do happen regardless of how careful someone is about glucose control - of course he should be allowed to carry a hypo treatment. How very judgemental to assume he is irresponsible - if anything, he is the opposite.
 
Re: Boots sent worker home

Don't think Maudie said anyone was irresponsible.
It's pointless making judgements until you hear both sides of the story. The media love to publish these stories of the big corporations bullying their helpless workers. Usually very biased.


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Re: Boots sent worker home

STICK UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS , ITS ONLY YOU AND NOBODY CAN STOP YOU , I KNOW I WAS A SALESMAN AND ONLY BECAME DIABETIC FROM A BRAIN HEAMMORAGE I SUFFERED AT THE AGE OF 25 , so whats boots doing about it , i would like to know. somebody whose diabetic its not to bad you know, its others who put you down , i dont let that trouble me i am alive . GOOD LUCK YOU.
 
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