Problems at work

You are covered under The Equality Act and diabetes is classified as a disability so you are afforded certain extra rights. Have you spoken to HR ? Do you belong to a Union ? I had similar issues a long while back and fortunately my employers treated me fairly but I had to mention "disability" etc. I did read The Act though and although it is always referred to as something which we can all pull as a trump card it is a very woolly document and is not easy to find hard and fast rules. DCUK can also offer assistance if you contact them.


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This document might help.
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/upload/How we help/Avocacy/Employment-advocacy-pack-2013.pdf


DUK have a careline for you to get in touch
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/How_we_help/Talk-to-someone/Careline/

Dragonflye..... hasnt the Veo pump helped at all with the nightime hypos?

What sort of work do you do, Dragonfly? Could you work flexi-time?

What would happen if you had something carby before going to bed or do a reduced TBR? Would that prevent the hypo or have you tried that already?

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I don't know enough about you or the organisation, but that might be something to consider. Can you build up time on flexi that could be taken ad hoc, to allow you to flex around Hess crises?

Most organisations have sick policies, such as you outline, but a decent manager will also want to work with his/her direct reports to keep them in situ.

If you have an intranet at work, you should be able to access the HR policies. Have a good look through the sickness and flexible working policies and see what you can find. Although flexible working policies are often couched around child/dependant care, read them with an open mind.

Your company is by law expected to make "reasonable adjustment" for your diabetes. In my case, this was to make allowances in the sickness policy. Initially my sickness flagged up for a disciplinary but this was soon rejected. The problems arise if your company goes down the line of suggesting your skckness is down to poor control. Not saying it is but it's so difficult to prove. Ultimately, if my control is poor, I lose my job.


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Dragonflye said:

Thanks, i think i will contact them and it was HR who have said my objectives would not be amended, I have another meeting on Monday to formally discuss it. yes I belong to a union, though not sure how much help they will be, they havent had a good reputation in the past for other people

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Do you mind me asking what you do? In teaching there are 3 unions and some are more effective than others. Sometimes you just need to go to the next level up. There is also the possibility of industrial tribunal although I hope it doesn't get to that stage for you.

Dragonflye said:

Thanks, i think i will contact them and it was HR who have said my objectives would not be amended, I have another meeting on Monday to formally discuss it. yes I belong to a union, though not sure how much help they will be, they havent had a good reputation in the past for other people

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Why don't you postpone your meeting until your representative can be there. You are entitled to do this in teaching. Don't know if you can in other jobs? Sounds like workplace bullying?

Scandichic said:

Do you mind me asking what you do? In teaching there are 3 unions and some are more effective than others. Sometimes you just need to go to the next level up. There is also the possibility of industrial tribunal although I hope it doesn't get to that stage for you.

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Sorry - posted this before I'd read all the posts. I really want to go into rant mode on your behalf but I'd be preaching to the converted! My work gave me a lecture in the middle of a hyper and accused me of eating dangerously. Sent me home to sort myself out (first week of diagnosis when I was eating low carb) and then I had to sit in the docs surgery for 2 hours before speaking to a complete cow of a dn. No one explained that the hyper like symptoms were a side effect of the tablets! good luck!

Dragonflye - make sure you have all your proposals, and your employer's rejection in writing. Should you move to a grievance, or worse still an employment tribunal these will be viewed by someone independent to your circumstances, and the view could be"if it isn't written Dow, it didn't happen". Especially as the human memory can be frail when a reluctant subject is asked a difficult question.

Good luck with it all.

Hi
3 years ago I was off sick for 11 months due to several endocrine conditions ambushing me at once. I got called in for 'that' interview when I was told that they were going to pension me off. I said that I thought with some adjustments I could come back to work and asked if their occ health dept and my gp could get together to work out a strategy.
It worked really well as the agreed approach was for me to work from home whenever I didn't have to be in work (I'm a college lecturer) and so far so good.
I see that you know about the DDA and the employer's responsibility to make reasonable adjustments, allowing an employee to work from home is one of the most common adjustments used. I don't think your employer would have a leg to stand on if they deny you that option.
All the best and let us know how you get on.

AndBreathe said:

Dragonflye - make sure you have all your proposals, and your employer's rejection in writing. Should you move to a grievance, or worse still an employment tribunal these will be viewed by someone independent to your circumstances, and the view could be"if it isn't written Dow, it didn't happen". Especially as the human memory can be frail when a reluctant subject is asked a difficult question.

Good luck with it all.

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And this is why this forum is so awesome!

One thing I would mention though is that flexible working requests must be viewed on a case by case basis, which means that just because someone has been granted a working pattern, it does mean it has to be granted to you. Conversely, if someone, even in similar circumstances, has been refused, that alone is no basis for refusing you, so a response of existing precedents is not a valid one.

Unless your company policy differs from those I have been familiar with, you are not entitled to know the reason why a decision is reached; although that information, can often be forcefully released by way of a Data Subject Access request. If you go to that length you really are up against it and your dilemma is a bit different.

As well as asking for home working, I suggest you also try to write up, for yourself, the pros and cons of that, and critically, consider the downsides to your employer, because this is where your arguments will come from. Then if/when you are asked for a formal proposal you will have the prep done and should be prepared to couch a case without delay.

One thing I keep coming back to in my head is your statement "work requested a letter to see if my standard objectives were achievable". Who wrote the letter, then who made the negative assessment, and (if you don't mind disclosing), what was considered unachievable? And finally, when do these objectives have to be met by, and maybe rhetorically, how have past performance appraisals gone?

Do try to reach some form of agreement or compromise without going down the grievance route. That can be so damaging to working relationships, but I fully understand you probably do need to work and therefore will be interested in continuation of service, rather than just finding another job, where shorter term you would have no security. But, your worse case scenario preparation has to start now. I would advise you document everything that has happened to date, including any documents, emails, reports you have. I would also,email it to myself, at home.