Unable to fully do job

inkie

Just wanting some advice - worse case scenario type think:

I suffered a broken foot in Nov - still broken and still in plaster at the moment.
Part of my 'job' involves standing up for an hour at a time - leading worship and preaching.

What is the situation if I am unable to stand without being in pain? Does my employer have to accomodate this?

Just starting to think about what ifs...?

Any advice??

TIA :T

Savvy_Sue

I've seen pastors and preachers lead from a wheelchair, so I can't see why staying sat down shouldn't be acceptable!

Don't know what the legal position is, however.

Fleago

Hi Inkie

I would doubt that your employer has to accomodate you because I don't think that your current problem with your foot would mean you are classified as a disabled person for the purposes of protection under the Disability Discrimination Act. See here, especially under the heading "long term" to see what I mean.

That being said, however, I would expect your employer should be sympathetic to your problems at the moment and would, as a matter of good practice, accomodate you and allow you, for example, to sit at the front of the church to lead worship and preach.

Hope this helps,

Fleago

Savvy_Sue

I suspect that really the problem is in our minds, and the minds of the congregation. We 'expect' the preacher to thunder down at us from a great height (well actually we don't, but some of us used to ...) and the preacher 'expects' to be able to see the people s/he is preaching to. This is more difficult if you're sat down than if you're standing. It's perhaps especially difficult if you're sat down while the people are standing to sing, because they can't easily see you. Plus of course you can get more breath into your lungs and project better when standing.

If you can get onto a platform, then a throne chair there might help ... :rotfl:

inkie

What is potentially of worry is not so much the preaching as I would be happy to sit down to do this - but this wouldn't sit right when doing funerals/burials/at the crem. Also, the type of work that I am involved in volves walking around houses/standing and collecting - we expect our church folk to do this, and so should really lead by example. There is an alternative - working in a chaplaincy role, without the requirement to lead worship formally every week, and the would not feel obligated to do the standing and collecting - as wouldn't be in local church leadership.

It's going to be a few weeks before I am back at work - but if I am still experiencing these symptoms when I return to work should I write to my employer stating that I will be returning to work on X, but due to ongoing problems I will :
be sitting to lead worship/preach/not be doing any kitchen catering work/not be doing any processions/collecting, (don't know how i'd get around the funerals bit!), but then we both know where we stand (or not as the case may be?)

Astaroth

Effectively you are saying your not well enough to perform the full aspect of your role. This should be straight forward enough to sort out, either ask your employers to modify your work schedule to something appropriate to your current condition and if they are unable to do this your doctor should be willing to sign you off as unfit to perform the job until the foot has healed sufficiently.

Savvy_Sue

Again, I think some of this is in our minds. I agree that leading a funeral from a seated position may not 'feel' right, but people who know you enough to ask you do the funeral won't care, and those who don't know you can be warned in advance and then decide if that's what they want. Or not going back on the duty rota at the crem surely shouldn't be a problem.

I know yours is a temporary disability rather than a permanent one, but are we going back to the Old Testament idea that no-one who's not a perfect specimen of manhood can't be church pastors? I do hope not ...

Take Astaroth's advice: if they want you back on light duties, go back. If they don't, get signed off for a bit longer.

Bossyboots

I have to say that while the OP is just sounding things out here the impression being conveyed is one of total intolerance of his/her religion. I would rather a favourite preacher was available for services or counselling in a sitting position than not available at all. This would extend to funerals although I do appreciate that if you don't know the family it might not be the same.

I cannot believe that going out collecting is an issue. What sort of employer/employees begrudge someone with a sore foot a few weeks of time taken to get back to full health. My poor boss has been fetching and carrying for me for 18 months without question until I get my back fixed (in two weeks time hopefully!).

I can't help feeling that if you need to ask these questions you are working for the wrong people.