loosing job cos of health problem

mirry

Hi , i dont know what I am asking exactly .

It looks like my husband will be loosing his lorry driving job because last month he took a epileptic fit (first one ever). He is under investigation
at the hospital and is awaiting tests. He is not allowed to drive so has been working in the works yard.

But they have hinted he wont be able to continue .
He is just waiting for the push once his hospital results come through.

Any advise on what we should do next is much appreciated.

Emmzi

well, as you know, if he cannot drive, he cannot do his job. It may be a condition that responds to medication, so I'd be asking for a referal to an occupational health department to assess the prognosis, what treatment is suitable, and how long it may be before he can return to work. If that's less than six months he may get away with his job being held open for him; longer than that and I would expect it to be bad news (although it isn't a hard and fast rule, the company may be able to cope for longer, or for less, time. Some places are 4 weeks!!)

The company should consider if there are other jobs he can do.

But if not I am afraid there is very little he *can* do, other than start to look for a on driving job and check on entitledto.com about what benefits you can apply for.

Just a check, if he can't drive a lorry - I hope he is keeping safe and not driving to work.

mirry

Thanks , he has to ride a bike to work .

Basil1234

hhmm right ill give a bit of information i know as an epileptic basically it works like this
1st fit 1year driving ban
2nd fit 2year driving ban
3rd fit 3year driving ban
and so on and so on the ban starts from date of LAST fit. He will have to see a specialist to see if is epilepsy he will have ECG scan at least if is,
so his driving is done for the moment if is proved epilepsy which i hope is not lucky for me mine is undercontrol with drugs thank god.
all of this is controlled under the DVLA medical branch my last ban lasted 5yrs didnt get my licence till 22 and it all started when i was younger.

my advice see the specialist quick as you can as they can be very busy sometimes can take 3-6 months for appointments a trick to get around that is go private for first appointment then get specialist to switch you over to the nhs as this will allow him to see specialist usually within a week.

roger196

Are there any jobs he could do within the company that do not involve driving but could make use of his transportation knowledge. Worth going to your local CAB for a benefits check on the basis he might lose his job. This is the time to get a firm grip on your finances. Look on the "up your income" forum for possible ways of improving your income stream eg get a lodger etc. Can your H improve his skills base. Start networking your friends for possible other jobs. There is some fantastic advice on this forum for dealing with actual and potential problems. Have a good read so you are well prepared for any eventuality.

Cruiksl

My dad had a fit last January on a bus going to get his radiotherapy treatment. Even though his scans came back fine and it's been classed as an unexplained fit - he still lost his licence for a year.

Come to think of it - it must be nearly up now.

Good luck for you and your hubby. You must be worried sick.

snapping_crocodile

Any one can have one fit, sometimes even 2, in their life and it can be perfectly normal. It may not mean he is epileptic, but as someone has said it will mean he is unable to drive for a year. All being well he will beable to drive again, but unfortunately that means he cant do his job in the meantime. Are there any other roles in the company he can take on that don't involve driving?