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Flexible working

C

Carterbpool

Member
Messages
23
Location
Blackpool
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi guys

Worked for the company 10.5 years now always worked between 7-5... Which has allowed me to take my insulin injections at 6am and 6pm
Which has helped keep my bs reasonable also helps me eat properly.

Recently moved areas and I've been told I have to now work two 12pm-9pm a week...and the rest 7-5 which will through my eating off and gaps in my insulin

Could I and am I entitled to flexible working to ensure I can continue to work 7-5 so I can keep
My insulin regular???
 
No, you're not entitled to work whenever you want just because you have diabetes.

Now, that doesn't mean you can't ask them nicely, but you're certainly not entitled to work those hours.

Sounds like you may need to adjust your insulin doses a bit, but that's part of life.
 
You can ask for reasonable adjustments for your disability under the equality act. However, whether requiring a particular work pattern is a reasonable adjustment is debatable - you would need to check what you are contracted to work & consider if there are business needs that demand this shift pattern, if so it is less likely that not doing it would be considered a reasonable adjustment.

Is there any reason you can't just inject at work? I take it you are on mixed insulin? Would you consider a move to basal bolus to allow you a bit more flexibility & thus to be able to do your job as scheduled?

Edit no 1 to add - Nb) equality act applies to provide some protections from discrimination if you are diasbled in England & Wales. You are disabled if you are type 1, if you are type 2 it's a bit more of a grey area depending on the individual's condition & treatment. If you are a type 2 on insulin I suspect you would be considered disabled for the purpose of the equality act.

Edit no 2 - so many typos...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Was your move around voluntary, or were you required to move areas for any reason? Did you know of the change in scheduling before the change took effect, and did you bring it up? If not, is there a reason why not?
 
Move was voluntary but always made my own hours nothing was said or I wouldn't of moved...shops open 8-8 but always worked 7-5
 
I'm just concerned when I eat and when I take my insulin obviously I can't eat a proper diet while at work it wot affect my lunch and evening meal. People request flexible working for much less
 
Carterbpool said:
I'm just concerned when I eat and when I take my insulin obviously I can't eat a proper diet while at work it wot affect my lunch and evening meal. People request flexible working for much less
Click to expand...
Why can you obviously not eat a proper diet at work? Are you in some sort of a profession that doesn't allow you to pack your own meals?

Also, you asked about be "entitled" to work those hours. As I mentioned previously, there's nothing wrong with requesting better hours. There is a big difference between the two
 
Carterbpool said:
I'm just concerned when I eat and when I take my insulin obviously I can't eat a proper diet while at work it wot affect my lunch and evening meal. People request flexible working for much less
Click to expand...

Is there any reason why you can't take your insulin at work, or why you can't take a nutritious meal with you?

I would suggest you get yourself an appointment with whomever supports you in looking after your diabetes to discuss the options for a more flexible regime. That way, at least if there is a solid reason (rather than preference) why you shouldn't work the amended hours, you will at least have professional medical back up.

As a Manager, I would be obliged to consider your request on its own merits, but if you volunteered for a move, then don't like what comes with the territory you might be on an uphill struggle.

Of course I don't understand the full picture, so I could be missing some fundamental information here.

Let us know how you progress.
 
Hi, from your other thread I believe you are type 2 on insulin? Although when you last posted you said you've stopped taking your medication because you believe you're type 1?! I take it you are back on your insulin/tablets now if you are concerned about them and their timings?

I don't understand why you can't still take them at the usual times and eat at work? If you have no facilities to heat food at work there is still many things that can be took as a meal?

I've worked in retail for around the same amount of time and have different shift patterns daily, I used to be on mixed insulin too and never found it a problem, we all want things to be easier to manage but sometimes it's about managing with what you've got and powering through
 
I think I just had a paddy, on a bit of a rollercoaster at the moment dealing with everything. I just want a regime, do some excercise not start shift work never worked lates never wanted too. As for my meds and insulin i listened to what people said and I was feeling too **** to ignore the fact that I needed to take my meds and insulin...running in the high teens low twenties wasn't doing me any good. Thank you for the advice
 
Have you ever considered basal bolus / MDI regime, instead of twice daily bimodal / mixed insulin? Then you could eat whenever you wanted or were able according to food breaks. If I had to eat at the same time every day, I wouldn't be able to work in the jobs I do, because I can't eat when I want to, except on very occasional days when I do paperwork at home. With MDI / basal bolus, I can cope with different start / finish / meal times, different methods of commuting eg cycling whole way / driving who way / combination of bus and / or train and / or walking and / or cycling.
 
Carterbpool said:
Who would I see about that?
Click to expand...

That would be your DSN/Consultant, if your under the care of a gp practice ask for a referral over to the hospital diabetes clinic.
 
As a union rep I dealt with a lot of flexible working agreements over the last few years, and there is a lot of misinformation out there, you have a right to ask and you have a right to have your request fairly looked at, but you do not have a right to it, we found the best approach was to go in with a plan already worked out...

For instance we had a guy who did not want late finishes but there was a colleague who hated getting up early so he agreed to do permanent lates, so no effect for the business... you need to show no detriment to the business and no detriment to workmates...

If you then meet the manager with these conditions met he then would be hard pressed to justify refusing you....
 

And as a Manager, I've had to deal with the impacts of both granting and declining flexible working requests. One memorable occasion I consented to one request, only to receive an identical one within a week which I had to subsequently decline. Within the resources available, the second was unworkable. Oh, that was a happy day..... Not!

@Carterbpool - if you are still pursuing this, please do brainstorm all the impacts of it happening, not just how much benefit it would be to you.
 
As a Manager, a TU rep, a founding director of the Institute of Equality and Diversity Practitioners and from my experience in the Government's Disability Unit, Disability Policy Division and Acas, there is a huge difference between flexible working and requesting reasonable adjustments. Under the Equality Act all people with diabetes that is being treated other than by diet and exercise are classified as disabled. If any request is reasonable then your employer must allow it. It is for the employer to show that a request is not reasonable. Something that is often reasonable in retail outlets is to allow you the short amount of time it will take to medicate and have something to eat, as appropriate. Of course, if your retail outlet only has one member of staff for each shift then it may be unreasonable to have the shop floor left unattended.
 
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