Sick Pay

ANewBeginning

SarEl wrote: »

I am afraid you are not in a strong position here. Your sick pay is detremined by contract and according to length of service. It is what it is and it will not be altered. If you have run out of sick pay - or full sick pay - then you will get SSP or whatever your entitlement is only. I regret to say that this isn't unfair - it's life. Council workers with five years continuous service get 6 months full pay and six months half pay, which is very generous. I am the last one to knock public sector workers and there's a lot of c!!p around about their cushy jobs that hasn't been true for a long time - but on this one I'm afraid you are on a hiding to nothing because it is one of the most generous provisions around.

In terms of "reasonable adjustments" - and I use the term advisedly because I am not sure that your condition qualifies under the DDA - most employers (especially public sector ones) look at these very carefully and I am surprised that the cannot accomodate even a temporary relocatioon. But the fact that you have a 90 minute commute isn't relevant - you chose to take a job with a 90 minute commute, and this has nothing to do with them. Their only responsibility is your health and wellbeing in work. What reason have they given for refusing?

As for the hours. I commiserate. Unfortunately it isn't uncommon in the public sector. But there is an answer. It isn't always an easy one because people are loathe to do it. It's called working your contractual hours. You cannot be made to work more than this, and whilst there may be some occasional flexibility (within flexi-time / time off in lieu provision), it really is down to you to work within your contractual hours and not more.

It won't be any comfort, but lots of public sector workers are in the situation and it has or will make them ill. But I am afraid that I have to say that collectively you only have yourselves to blame. Public sector workers have taken on more and more unpaid hours to cover for cuts over many years, and sat back and taken the knocks as everyone else blames them for having cushy jobs. Because, more often than not, they believe passionately in what they are doing. As a reward for doing this and papering over the cracks that the public don't see, and haven't seen for years, you now face more cuts, a pay freeze - so it isn't going to get better. So it's up to you (individually and collectively) - the word that is generally used in the private sector when asked to do double shifts for no extra pay is "No". You are effectively doing double shifts. If you value your health you have to say no too.

Thanks

This is where my thinking is currently. I am reluctant to start anything that will be like a rollercoaster ride that doesn't end. And that I may regret riding in the first place, when I'm hitting the inverted double loop and feeling nauseous!

Yes they do use and abuse people - but not me anymore. I'll do my 37 hours - and anything above will be logged and claimed back. If I claimed back everything up to now, I could probably have another 12 months off fully paid flexi leave!!

The times I used be working over and above my contracted hours will be spent enjoying life and quality time with my family AND looking for another job.

Thanks to everyone for their constructive and supportive posts. Wish me luck - cos God knows I think I'm gonna need it.....

ceridwen

Re your comment about "claiming back" excess hours worked to date - is that actually possible to do that and use those hours to "cover yourself" for any time you have to have off work for a hysterectomy? If you are owed a years worth of time - then that would easily cover the 3 months or so sick leave for a hysterectomy.

I certainly think its worth investigating whether you've just lost those excess hours worked - or whether you can reclaim them some way.

SarEl

ceridwen wrote: »

Re your comment about "claiming back" excess hours worked to date - is that actually possible to do that and use those hours to "cover yourself" for any time you have to have off work for a hysterectomy? If you are owed a years worth of time - then that would easily cover the 3 months or so sick leave for a hysterectomy.

I certainly think its worth investigating whether you've just lost those excess hours worked - or whether you can reclaim them some way.

I can answer that - it won't be. Local Authorities have strict policies (they vary slightly from one to another, but not by that much) which outline permissions needed or authorisations to credit time off in lieu (especially at these levels), and flexible working rules generally have specific time bound rules - like you can "save up" so many hours per month, take a maximum of (usually) up to 2 or so days per month, and anything over XX hours (usually about 15 - 20 is lost at the end of the month if you haven't taken it. Retrospective claims just won't fly - nor any outside of the policy.

I'd just like to point out again, because "everyone" loves knocking public sector workers (it would appear they are also now responsible for the recession - funny, I thought that was the banks) - this sort of story isn't a bit unusual and I see many, many similar and worse stories coming across my desk every day. Yes there are some "jobs worths" and some "skivers" - there are in every sector of employment. But this sort of story is becoming more and more common, and it just isn't funny.