Can I been sacked for being involved in a car crash?

j01349

I was involved in a car crash in mid December which was a very serious crash resulting in myself and my husband being cut out of the car and removed by paramedics on stretchers. We are both currently off work however I did try to go back last week only to have to come off work again as I was in agony after trying to work as I had before. My doctor gave me an emergency appointment and asked if I had come back to work too soon, I was not sure as I am still capable of doing the job just not as long as I had been before so he suggested if I return to work part time for a few weeks to help build my body up to the daily tasks I would do at work. The main reason for this was financial reasons as I do not get sick pay and have felt the impact of not being paid since the crash. I contacted my employers to see about working part time for a few weeks but they have told me they are against this as it has not worked for them in the past! I do want to work and more to the point I need to but as I was only with this company a few months before the crash happened do they have to help me return to work or can they just let me go? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Uncertain

Variations of the "can I be sacked for being ill" question come up regularly.

Sadly, within limits, the answer is yes.

If you cannot do your job due to illness / injury then your employer can follow due process and dismiss you. There is some further protection if you have a disability in the legal sense.

Also, given that you have worked there for less than a year your can be "let go" for more or less any reason that is not discriminatory.

I don't think under your circumstances they are obliged to let you work part time.

Sorry!

rupee99

If you are not able to work because of illness, after going through the correct procedure your employer can dismiss you. Unfortunately for you even if they do not go through the correct procedure as you haven't been with them for twelve months there is little you could do ahainst them.