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Big Worries over my future.. advice needed
Savvy2Be
Posts: 173 Forumite
Hello all,
I really need to get this off my chest & hope you may have some advice for me...
I have worked for my company for 12 years, my job was very important to me and I worked my way up through the years until I achieved management. I enjoyed the job, but it was very target driven & stressful. I had little support in the form of a deputy as noone wanted the stress of the job and when I did encourage them they would end up being put off due to the target focused senior management. None the less I worked hard and did a good job with the team, we were doing well and I had a good appraisal etc.
I have a health condition which was aggravated by work going on to the building where I work. I tried to explain this was causing me a problem, and if I had known i'd have booked A/L etc. I spoke with management several times but they didnt have any alternatives really and by that point I was already ill.
Ive been off work now for 6 months, tried to go back but the work was continuing and I still wasnt well. It caused a chest infection, months of steroids & antibiotics and caused damage to my facial nerve leaving me in alot of pain. Its totally affected my life, daily pain ranging from medium to severe pain and ive gone from a social person with a life to a hermit.
Ive had good support from the union & my condition was assessed as covered by the DDA. There are quite a few wrongdoings on my employers front during this, such as failure to do a risk assessment even though they knew my health condition, lack of informing me or discussing the work to the building planned etc.
I have been issued with a Final Written Warning (had a warning already due to a 5 week spell of absence due to a severe chest infection last year). Myself & my union appealed this final warning, but it got rejected and I was told by the union rep that she has only ever seen 1 granted. The case we put forward was good and was looked over and added to by my solicitor who felt it was a good appeal. However it was not accepted. The appeal manager felt the policy had been adhered to as it should (regardless of the policy not being followed when this happenend!)
Theres alot im trying to cope with at the moment, only was receiving SSP, and now having to claim benefit which doesnt cover ny outgoings by any stretch. Ive had depression as a result of the pain. Ive felt very let down by my employers, they have failed to do things they should of and took 2mths to inform me of an option to extend sick pay so that I could recieve pay, and when I filled out the forms they just left it sat in the office for 3 weeks and it keeps getting delayed and delayed for the past 3 months to finally get told I have to go get a medical report (when it was them who asked me to sign consent forms for it to enable them to get a report) Stalling and more stalling.
If I go back to work (hopefully my condition should settle on this new medication Jan time) I will be doing so knowing I could be sacked if I have any time off in 12 months, which with my health is very likely & that will stress me out.
If I dont go back I worry despite my experience I will fail to get another job given the recession & my recent bad health.
The trouble is after all thats happened & how unsupportive they have been I just dont feel I belong there anymore. Ive hardly even heard a peep out of people I thought were friends at my work and thats just added to how I feel. The whole thing is such a worry on my mind as I had the recent appeal of the warning and am now taking legal action for loss of earnings due to the failures of my employers. Its very hard as its ten years of my life, and my career but a big part of me wants to walk away from all this stress. The solicitor said dont resign, but I need to consider whats best for me.
They are reviewing things mid-Jan by which point they will expect a return to work or will move on to dismissal.
WWYD?
Thanks in Advance
I really need to get this off my chest & hope you may have some advice for me...
I have worked for my company for 12 years, my job was very important to me and I worked my way up through the years until I achieved management. I enjoyed the job, but it was very target driven & stressful. I had little support in the form of a deputy as noone wanted the stress of the job and when I did encourage them they would end up being put off due to the target focused senior management. None the less I worked hard and did a good job with the team, we were doing well and I had a good appraisal etc.
I have a health condition which was aggravated by work going on to the building where I work. I tried to explain this was causing me a problem, and if I had known i'd have booked A/L etc. I spoke with management several times but they didnt have any alternatives really and by that point I was already ill.
Ive been off work now for 6 months, tried to go back but the work was continuing and I still wasnt well. It caused a chest infection, months of steroids & antibiotics and caused damage to my facial nerve leaving me in alot of pain. Its totally affected my life, daily pain ranging from medium to severe pain and ive gone from a social person with a life to a hermit.
Ive had good support from the union & my condition was assessed as covered by the DDA. There are quite a few wrongdoings on my employers front during this, such as failure to do a risk assessment even though they knew my health condition, lack of informing me or discussing the work to the building planned etc.
I have been issued with a Final Written Warning (had a warning already due to a 5 week spell of absence due to a severe chest infection last year). Myself & my union appealed this final warning, but it got rejected and I was told by the union rep that she has only ever seen 1 granted. The case we put forward was good and was looked over and added to by my solicitor who felt it was a good appeal. However it was not accepted. The appeal manager felt the policy had been adhered to as it should (regardless of the policy not being followed when this happenend!)
Theres alot im trying to cope with at the moment, only was receiving SSP, and now having to claim benefit which doesnt cover ny outgoings by any stretch. Ive had depression as a result of the pain. Ive felt very let down by my employers, they have failed to do things they should of and took 2mths to inform me of an option to extend sick pay so that I could recieve pay, and when I filled out the forms they just left it sat in the office for 3 weeks and it keeps getting delayed and delayed for the past 3 months to finally get told I have to go get a medical report (when it was them who asked me to sign consent forms for it to enable them to get a report) Stalling and more stalling.
If I go back to work (hopefully my condition should settle on this new medication Jan time) I will be doing so knowing I could be sacked if I have any time off in 12 months, which with my health is very likely & that will stress me out.
If I dont go back I worry despite my experience I will fail to get another job given the recession & my recent bad health.
The trouble is after all thats happened & how unsupportive they have been I just dont feel I belong there anymore. Ive hardly even heard a peep out of people I thought were friends at my work and thats just added to how I feel. The whole thing is such a worry on my mind as I had the recent appeal of the warning and am now taking legal action for loss of earnings due to the failures of my employers. Its very hard as its ten years of my life, and my career but a big part of me wants to walk away from all this stress. The solicitor said dont resign, but I need to consider whats best for me.
They are reviewing things mid-Jan by which point they will expect a return to work or will move on to dismissal.
WWYD?
Thanks in Advance
0
Comments
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Have you put a claim in against the company for work place injuries?
If you are not wanting to go back and you have a claim in against them for the injuries then a compromise agreement maybe the way to go to insure you get a decent referance as well as a payout.The Googlewhacker referance is to Dave Gorman and not to my opinion of the search engine!
If I give you advice it is only a view and always always take professional advice before acting!!!
4 people on the ignore list....Bliss!0 -
Googlewhacker wrote: »Have you put a claim in against the company for work place injuries?
If you are not wanting to go back and you have a claim in against them for the injuries then a compromise agreement maybe the way to go to insure you get a decent referance as well as a payout.
Thanks for your reply. Yes I took advice and sols were happy to take the case, but I guess I was just hoping things didnt get to this stage. Now they have unfortunately. Its made me take a long hard look at my future, I need the pay, but with a final warning hanging over me and the way they have treated also just feels so unjust. The sols say not to resign, to let them do the moves towards dismissal if they wish to, but I really dont want that to happen. The job means alot to me, it was my career and im so sad over it all.
Whats the best way to bring up a compromise agreement? Do you bring it up at the point of resigning?
I honestly dont know what to do for the best.
Thank you, I appreciate your help0 -
Hi
I can't add much except to say that your colleagues could have been told to stay away from you and not contact you by your company with some made up excuse etc - we have been (at times) told not to contact someone when they are off sick even to find out how they are etc0 -
The only advise I have for you is....DO NOT RESIGN DO NOT RESIGN DO NOT RESIGN DO NOT RESIGN.
The company has not been kind to you as you say so why be kind to them and give them and easyway out.
I get wound up by people asking for compo in every situation they can, but on the face of it, it really seems like you should be entitled to some. Dont give them an easy way out if the Solicitor has say DO NOT RESIGN then dont!
Just my two peneth for what it is worth.
GOne day some company will do what they say they will do and charge a fair charge.:T
Not doing the opposite of that which they promise and charge you a fortune for the privileged.
Or maybe not:mad:0 -
Thanks for your reply. Yes I took advice and sols were happy to take the case, but I guess I was just hoping things didnt get to this stage. Now they have unfortunately. Its made me take a long hard look at my future, I need the pay, but with a final warning hanging over me and the way they have treated also just feels so unjust. The sols say not to resign, to let them do the moves towards dismissal if they wish to, but I really dont want that to happen. The job means alot to me, it was my career and im so sad over it all.
Whats the best way to bring up a compromise agreement? Do you bring it up at the point of resigning?
I honestly dont know what to do for the best.
Thank you, I appreciate your help
You will probably have to play a waiting game, but do not offer your resignation in the slightest.
You need to speak to a solicitor or maybe if SarEl or Uncertain can advise you on getting a compromise agreement.
The money part is great but if you can leave with a decent referance then this is worth its weight in gold.The Googlewhacker referance is to Dave Gorman and not to my opinion of the search engine!
If I give you advice it is only a view and always always take professional advice before acting!!!
4 people on the ignore list....Bliss!0
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