How many 'safe' sick days in a year?

marybelle01

Yorkie1 wrote: »

It's 2 years to be able to claim unfair dismissal if he started on or after 6 April 2012; 1 year if started work before then.

Yes I am aware of that. And if he has worked there "over a year" (which usually means not a lot over a year) and it is now September 2013.... he's likely to be the wrong side of the line.

keyser666

A lot of companies now employ the Bradford scale, yu should look it up to get an understanding. With regards to your situation I would get he to check the company sickness policy, preferably without having to ask for it, maybe check the intranet or staff handbook/rest room

unlikelyheroine

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

Furthermore, I don't feel anyone should be under threat of losing their job for anything up to 2 weeks sick in any year: whilst I do sympathise with the employer, I can't help thinking that the pervading of this fear is only possible by virtue of the current employment climate.

Everyone gets sick. Sadly though there are conflicting standards for shop floor and management. It's a real sad state of affairs if someone has to come into work unwell, with the possibility of making more workers sick, just to avoid a credit on their HR file!

Two weeks a year sounds like a huge amount of time off to me unless someone has underlying health conditions. I would not expect in a normal year to be genuinely too ill to work for more than two or three days; in a normal year I have zero or one sick days. And I honestly don't think that's unusual. I am not taking an employer's side, but if two weeks were permitted across the board, some people (not all!) would start to see them as an entitlement.

custardy

unlikelyheroine wrote: »

Two weeks a year sounds like a huge amount of time off to me unless someone has underlying health conditions. I would not expect in a normal year to be genuinely too ill to work for more than two or three days; in a normal year I have zero or one sick days. And I honestly don't think that's unusual. I am not taking an employer's side, but if two weeks were permitted across the board, some people (not all!) would start to see them as an entitlement.

It can and it cant
I went for years in various jobs with about 1 absence in 10+ years
then I had a run of torn chest cartilage,corneal erosion & then dislocated shoulder
So I clocked up months off with each
all genuine but 3 separate ailments

kingfisherblue

I agree with other posters that your husband should take responsibility for his own health and visit the doctor. His employer has been very understanding so far, yet he isn't willing to do something about his migraines. How much longer does he expect them to allow him time off, yet not seek medical advice?

In addition to filling in a trigger chart, your husband might be able to take daily medication to reduce the amount of migraines. There is also medication available that he can take at the first sign of a migraine, to bring it to a stop very quickly. My doctor agreed that a monthly migraine (probably caused by the menopause, but made worse by stress) was too much for me, especially as I care for my severely disabled son. He immediately put me onto a daily medication, with another to take at the first sign of a migraine. The first medication didn't work for me, so now I'm on a different one. It's early days yet, so I don't know how well it will work, but I'm confident that something will help me. The tablet that I take at the first sign of a migraine is fantastic. It doesn't eliminate it immediately for me, but it definitely lessens it. I just need to sleep for a couple of hours, instead of a whole day.

Your husband would definitely benefit from a chat with his doctor. This would also be a positive move if his employer wanted access to relevant medical records, as it would show that he is trying to do something to control the problem. Finally, it would do him good as he wouldn't be in as much pain for as long!

Tiffany_Aching

I know nothing of the employment side, but reading above it sounds like he needs to get a visit to the Dr. about these migraines so that the employers can see that it is a medical condition and he is seeking help for it.

The reason I am replying - even though I am no help on the employment front - is as a fellow migraine sufferer.

As an above poster said, he really must find out what his triggers are. In my own case it is alcohol ( ) and lack of sleep. Now the alcohol I can avoid, but the lack of sleep is not so easy due to my profoundly disabled son who believes that sleep is for wimps!

After years of suffering I went to see the GP and was prescribed a low-dose beta-blocker. It has changed my life, my migraines have gone .I get a headache with my triggers now, but it is gone within hours / by the following day - nothing like the migraine I would have once had.

He needs to know that his GP can help him with this, it really can be as simple as one little pill every morning to end the pain, throwing up and sick days off work. If his migraines are this bad, I cannot imagine why he hasn't paid his GP a visit. He needs to take some responsibility for his health.

Good luck and hope you can talk him in to seeing his GP

Tiffany_Aching

Kingfisherblue -
Almost the same post as each other! Pleased you sorted your migraines out, it makes a huge difference to your life, doesn't it

aileth

Thank you so much for the advice everyone, it has been incredibly helpful. I'm going to show him the thread. I don't think it's so much that he himself thinks it's 'only a headache', but whenever I've suggested he go to the Doctor he says it's 'only a headache.' He likes to avoid issues, not deal with them, MUCH to his detriment.

Well, it affects both of us. I do think tiredness is a main trigger in them too, as they tend to happen mainly mid to late evening and I am up all night with him while he is being violently sick and can't stand up. I usually sit up and watch TV if he dozes off because I'm paranoid he's going to be sick in his sleep and choke or something ridiculous, but this of course affects my work performance too.

The ones he was off work for happened within about an hour of waking up properly when he's had a pretty rotten night and not got much sleep, and I get him to text me as often as he can so I know he's okay.

Again, thank you so much everyone.

jobbingmusician

(Hoping the OP is still reading).

I do sympathise with this as I have also suffered with migraines my whole life. 'Fortunately' (ha!) I seemed to be more prone to them at weekends (and I've never worked out why) so they didn't affect my work life as much as they could have done.

If anyone is reviewing your DH's attendance, medical records showing he's assertively addressing the problem should help. Nag your Dr for a referral to a migraine clinic.

PS With the wisdom of age and a nagging husband, I have now found that many of my symptoms have been the result of a food sensitivity (?MSG, soy sauce, stock cubes, generally fermented stuff). It might be worth keeping a food diary.....

ajsexton

I also sympathise, I have suffered a constant headache for the last 3 years (talking 24/7) but with occasional severe migraine type attacks.

Additionally my OH has commented on me being down more around the times of the severe attacks (and snoring more). Tried GP several times, had meds which made me feel worse, ENT which was clear and been asked recently to do a food diary which I need to do.

But, on a side track I recently visited a chiropractor, who after having a look and something called an EMG, reckons my neck in particular is stretched slightly too far and also a little off to the left. He reckons he should be able to fix it within a few months (basically given its been 3 years my muscles will fight to go back, so need retraining). Yes this is going to be expensive and I also realise it might not work (Im well aware of the cynicism of chiropracty and Im a natural cynic) however given the potential benefit of no more headache, then I think its worth the money.

Long story short : go see GP, if they cant/dont help seek help elsewhere too