Please help I'm getting worried

lilibet1

....about my husband.

He works for a very well known multi national company and has been employed by them for 10 yrs plus. He is a manager of a depot now since jan this year. Before that he was a sales rep (van sales) he works from 4am til 7pm pretty much every day mon to fri. He sometimes has to work sat too. The company refuse to take on any extra staff and he has three people off long term sick in his depot and he and his supervisor are having to carry the extra work load.

My husband has started to suffer with depression and cries and has lost his confidence. I'm so worried about him. Our gp is aware of this and suggests he takes time off work, but he won't as he thinks he is letting them down! He is on a waiting list for counselling but none of this is like him. He is struggling and I dont know what to do to help.

Can they make him work these long hours. By the way HR know about this as do his area sales manager.

Many thanks

tosyn

He definitely needs some time off from work and look after his health.

This is caused due to unnecessary amount of stress at work and basically he is going through a short depression phase, not to worry - it is a temporary one and he is going to be fine. However, It is very important that he takes himself off from work otherwise the matter could get worse..

Anything above 40 hours of routine work per week by one individual needs special provisioning (health and safety, overtime , health checks etc)

It may not be the company that makes him work for long hours - it could be that your husband himself is owning up everything and bearing all the extra load without his managers being unaware of.. So it is counselling that is going to play an important role understanding the psychological aspect of it.

ohreally

lilibet1 wrote: »

Can they make him work these long hours. By the way HR know about this as do his area sales manager

Has he opted out of the 48hr working time regulation? (i'm guessing not).

You state HR are aware, what do you/ he expect HR to be doing?

Seriously give consideration to follow the GP's advice and join a union.

lilibet1

Tosyn, yes managers, hr are aware of the hours he is working. The depot have 12 van sales, one supervisor and my husband but as three van sales people are on sick leave, one of which has cancer then my husband and his supervisor are also on van plus doing the manager duties. I hope I'm making sense.

Oh really - how do you go about joining a union? I have no idea and they dontnhave one where he works. Thanks

lilibet1

Oh and I would expect HR to not expect anyone to work 15/16 hour days and to take on more staff, however, he has been told that he has to manage the staff he has and that they will not be taking anyone else on. His contract says hours of work are mon to fri 8am to 4pm but to be available if needed.

ohreally

lilibet1 wrote: »

how do you go about joining a union? I have no idea and they dont have one where he works

If the company is a multi national there may already be a trade union recognised by the employer - he may simply be unaware of this.

I'm not recomending any particular TU:

http://www.unitetheunion.org/my_unite__join_online/join_online.aspx
https://www.gmb.org.uk/join_gmb/join_online.aspx

http://www.worksmart.org.uk/unionfinder

He needs to put his health first, please encourage him to revisit his GP.

What would the employer do if he and the supervisor worked their contracted hours.
The employer can't expect folks to be at their beck and call unreasonably.

lilibet1

Thank you very much for the links. I will have a look now. If they did the contracted hours the sales would fall and he would probably get a disciplinary or similar. Thank you

ohreally

Is the employer aware of his psychological condition?

Could another manager pick up his role and permit him to return to van sales as a temp measure?

What is his manger doing while he is working 4.00-19.00 every day - is there no support whatsoever from the employer.
Is his manager not having expectations placed on him to assist?

lilibet1

No they're not aware of his state of mind, but he has told them that he is struggling. His manager is an area sales manager and overseas 15 other depots so as long as the work is done she doesn't seem to care. If things don't get done then she comes down on him like a tonnes of bricks and starts saying they will have to review his performance.

He is so low and depressed and tired after getting up at 3.30 am all the time. He is never late for work, never has time off sick and tbh seems to bend over backwards to do his job to the best of his ability. The phone rings with problems up til 10pm some nights and early in the mornings on a sat if he is off. There are always IT probs which aren't his doing but he knows how to recitfy the hht probs.

I feel like tearing my hair out and we just keep rowing over it as he is so snappy and angry with me all the time.

Is it legal to expect someone to be on call 24/7. I really do appreciate your advice.

Not possible to go back on a van x

ohreally

He really needs help and support to get through this situation.

The employer is liable for psychiatric injury caused by work, however quoting case law won't being an immediate solution...

Although exceeding the 48-hour maximum working week under the Working Time Regulations is relevant evidence in a work-related stress claim (Hone v Six Continents Retail Ltd [2006] IRLR 49), working excessive hours is not sufficient, on its own, to make an illness arising from it reasonably foreseeable.

He may be well advised to return to the GP and fully explain the low moods, tears and being snappy (if not already done so) and get signed off for a time.

Since the employer is a multi-national, i'm guessing they will have an occupational health department - do a self-referral as a matter of urgency (this is in addition to the GP).

Is there someone in a position of authority he can approach for assistance in dealing with the situation?

lilibet1

He doesn't feel like he has anyone to speak to. They do have an occupational therapy dept. I will speak to him this weekend and ask him to go back to the dr. If you have any other ideas please let me know. I will get back to you when I have more news. Thank you