RSI/stress/depression/sick leave options and consequences

katrina123

Yes I guess it is a good sick pay ruling there.

Homelife personal probs PLUS work/computer shifts are the reasons.
She feels trapped.

She can have lunch, but she joined the company while there were people doing that already, so it was suggested that going home early was better, which she agreed with and followed the crowd. Yes it would cause hassle, as others would have to maybe also abide by the lunch break minutes, in effect shaking up the whole shift workforce, making her un-popular.

30min break for a 10 hour shift is not even enough she says, for her discomfort in wrists and arms, also her eyes are strained with computer monitors.

Starrystarrynight

I worked in a job that was entirely keyboard based and we were entitled to a 5 minute break in every hour. Not sure if that's a legal entitlement, though, or just a fair employer or one who didn't want to end up getting sued. I was in the job for six years and still suffer with pain in my hands and wrists as a result.
I was quite concerned to read that the OP's daughter was talked out of taking the matter to the HR department. Have they something to hide in their procedures.
I've also had a period of long term sickness before and found the formal interview that I had to have with my boss very stressful.
Some tough decisions to be made by the OP's daughter. I can only echo other posters and advise her to give it careful consideration. I hope things work out for the best.

SueC_2

Starrystarrynight wrote: »

I was quite concerned to read that the OP's daughter was talked out of taking the matter to the HR department. Have they something to hide in their procedures.

I am inclined to think that the department managers have come to an 'unofficial' agreement that their team can work through their lunchbreak and leave work early. Any HR department worth their salt would be likely to throw their hands up in horror at this, for all the reasons stated elsewhere in this thread and more besides, and so, as the 'unofficial' agreement suits both managers and staff, the managers would prefer to keep it a bit quiet.

No way of telling though, that was just my interpretation.

Uncertain

Well this certainly sounds a horrid place to work!

If her doctor signs her off sick (and it sounds as if he will) this will give her a break without adding to the financial pressures in the short term.

However, will this help? It might, if being away from the place helps her to feel better and makes it easier to address "other issues". However even three months will pass quickly (and as I said above work may start hassling her a lot sooner) then a new problem will come along in the form of a serious drop in income unless she feels well enough to return.

Going back after any length of time off will not be easy.

On the other hand being off sick will not make it any easier to find alternative employment. It is best not to lie on job applications and most will ask.

From a financial point of view she will get SSP for a further three months after her company sick pay runs out and she will have a week or two's holiday owing. After that, if still ill, she will have to claim ESA and three months into this go through the farce of their so called "medical".

None of this is easy particularly with a depressed state of mind.

SueC makes a good point about isolation and depression. Although it does not apply in every case by any means it can be a serious issue.

Raksha

If she's suffered with depression in the past, it's a pre existing condition and is covered by the DDA

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/HealthAndSupport/MentalHealth/DG_10023351

jdturk

Raksha wrote: »

If she's suffered with depression in the past, it's a pre existing condition and is covered by the DDA

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/HealthAndSupport/MentalHealth/DG_10023351

Has to have had a diagnosis obviously.

glossgal

With respect I'm a little dismayed at how quickly depression has been assumed here. Being totally objective I get the sense of someone who has a crappy job and a few personal problems and probably needs a break with the stress of it. In other words she sounds like 80% of the population at some time or other!

If the OPs daughter is displaying serious signs of depression/stress then it's totally right for her to get advice from her doctor and explore her options but otherwise it's probably a good idea her to take some annual leave and regroup and possibly look for other jobs which is what it seems she wants to do anyway. If she has no housing costs then this will lessen the financial burden but I kind of have to agree with a previous poster that she can't have her cake and eat it.

SueC_2

glossgal wrote: »

With respect I'm a little dismayed at how quickly depression has been assumed here.

Not sure who you think is doing the assuming, but as it was part of the OP's header I don't think it's anyone who has responded to the post!

bendix

glossgal wrote: »

With respect I'm a little dismayed at how quickly depression has been assumed here. Being totally objective I get the sense of someone who has a crappy job and a few personal problems and probably needs a break with the stress of it. In other words she sounds like 80% of the population at some time or other!

If the OPs daughter is displaying serious signs of depression/stress then it's totally right for her to get advice from her doctor and explore her options but otherwise it's probably a good idea her to take some annual leave and regroup and possibly look for other jobs which is what it seems she wants to do anyway. If she has no housing costs then this will lessen the financial burden but I kind of have to agree with a previous poster that she can't have her cake and eat it.

Everybody is depressed these days, glossgal. Didn't you know?

We've never been better fed, better clothed, have more holidays, own more of our own houses and fill them with more things to keep our tiny minds amused, and yet - bizarrely - depression is rampant.

Unless, of course, that depression is some kind of 'i feel a bit !!!!ed off today' disease, dressed up like a painted !!!!!.

Go figure.

bendix

Uncertain wrote: »

On the other hand other employers (local authorities, civil service, universities etc) have a far more reasonable attitude and it may well be months before they even raise an eyebrow. .

Yes, usually employers in the public sector who don't have to make a profit to survive, don't have to be efficient and who can afford to carry non-performing employees for years on end.

How strange that is.