Night shifts on return to work after a serious illness

janie63

Hi,
I have a friend that is due to return to work soon after a serious illness. The job she does involves shiftwork. The only shift she is worried about is nights as that is whn eher health issues are worse.

I am sure that i have read somewhere that due to health issues that you are able to 'opt out ' of doing night shifts?

Can anyone help?

I did do a search but could not find anything!

Thank you

Emmzi

if she is coverd by the DDA she can request 'reasonable adjustments'

Even if she isn't a good employer will consider it while she rehabilitates.

PasturesNew

If she has occupational health reviews by her employer, then she can mention the issues with night shifts when she next sees them. They would probably then recommend a meeting between her, her manager and HR just prior to her return to work out what she can and can't do, then see if reasonable adjustments can be made to take her off night shifts in the first instance - and build up to doing those over a period of time upon her return to work.

It depends on the organisation really if they have these processes in place (smaller companies you're either off work, or back at work doing the normal job), or not.

Your friend should really write down a list of her job functions and hours and put a tick or cross beside each one to say if she can do it or not - and notes alongside each thing she's concerned about.... then use that when negotiating her return to work under a phased return.

She must be prepared though for the company to not be able to accommodate her, rather than assuming they will and must.

It will depend on what's wrong with her etc etc really. There's no one size fits all, but there are a whole raft of medical conditions which are exacerbated by night time working and it can be accommodated within supportive organisations who have the staffing capacity to enable it to be monitored so everybody wins.

snapping_crocodile

I work for the NHS and the only way we can get out of doing night shifts is to get a letter from your consultant to explain that these shifts are likely to make your health worse :rolleyes:

clairec79

Depends snapping croc - I collapsed in work and had a month off sick, they gave me two months without nights without asking