Some advice please

Dave42

Hi,

First of all apologies for the rambling, however, to get some advice I need to post all of the facts.

I would also like to add that the stress of this is worrying me very much so if anyone can help with some advice/direction I would
I have worked for a major Building Society for 13 years (10 of those as a Manager at a customer service center managing a team of approx 7-9 telephone advisers, dealing with complaints, etc, etc).

I am now 42 and at the age of 17 whilst serving with the British Army I was injured on active duty and medically discharged at the age of 20 and I am officially classed as 20% disabled due to a fractured skull/neck & spine and some other internal injuries.

My first meeting at the job center in 1990 started with some guy waving loads of claim forms under my nose and he was gob-smacked when I walked out as I had no intention of not working (I have been continually employed and never claimed a penny of benefits).

I have to take a large cocktail of pain relief medication daily, 600 mg pregabalin, (paracetamol+hydrocodeine & indometacin as required, although its normally the full doseage) 75mg amitriptyline) (my employer knows about all of these medications) and in 2008 I had a cholestrol level of 11.7 and although I am not overweight I am on 80 mg of atorvastatin per night as well, I have also suffered with severe depression since the event in 1987 (been on every ant-depressant going and at one point in 2009 I was on three different ones at the same time), I did not receive any counselling at that point as there were fatalities in the event I guess I was just happy to be alive (no counselling was offered at this point I might add).

In June 2010 it was decided that as well as the Managers doing their full-time job they would be responsible for all the call monitoring/marking etc, etc, for regulation/quality, etc, etc (we previously had a coach for each team who worked 35 hours per week and even then they struggle to cope!).

I really struggled with the new responsibilities (I was never a coach after all and never had any wish to do this type of job as I have always struggled with concentration/focus, etc) and although I asked for help I was repeatedly told the other Manager can do it you must be choosing to get it wrong which was not the case, I was working 12 hour shifts at some point but try as hard as I could I could not get it right.

I was immediately put on a disciplinary with no advance warning and told if I mark another call wrong I would go to investigation (I would also like to add that I have two young children from a previous relationship and I have them 3 nights a week and have always paid approx 40% of my income for their upkeep), I was on the verge of a breakdown and after discussion with my partner and my ex (who I am still very good friends with) I decided I had to step down (this instantly cut my salary in half, they also agreed that I could do an early on a Weds and late on Thurs so I could have kids in the week, as soon as I stepped down they said they had made a mistake and they would not pay a shift allowance (which comprised of 20% of my now reduced salary, when I got rally upset as I could not afford this they basically said "we made a mistake so what", after involvement with the union and a number of meetings they finally agreed I could do these shifts and gave me a paltry 5% shift allowance (even though I offered to do my weekends/later shifts than anyone else if they could just give me what they previously agreed), work never gave me any options but to go on the phone and all the problems I had as a Manager meant I was soon getting things wrong and I was again threatened with disciplinary (I went off sick for the day and went to see the doctor who told me I had to reduce the stress I was under as I was in such a state and signed me off for 8 weeks).

I have been off work sick now since July 2011.

I have also after seeing a psychiatrist been diagnosed with bi-polar and post traumatic stress disorder and I am now on Lamotrigine and feeling better than I have in many, many years.

Work have been to see me and they are talking about a medical redundancy package and they are coming to make me an offer on April 12th 2012.

To be honest I would have preferred to go back to work but I do feel like a fresh start and all I want is my employer to be fair as I have a young family to look after.

There are more things I could add, however, I think i have put more than enough.

Any advice I receive would really, really, help.

Thanks for your time.

Dave

Any advice

50Twuncle

You need to see the Disability Employment adviser at your local jobcentre to start with and also put in a claim for Disability Living Allowance.....

getmore4less

I think you also need to get your disability reassessed if you believe you have deteriated you may be aligable for higher rates from the vetrans agency.