How is it possible to guarantee you will not be off work due to sickness?

Nicki

mandragora wrote: »

because that doesn't solve the problem for them, insofar as if they employ someone to do a job, they need that person, in the workplace, doing the job.

Exactly. Either there is a job which needs to be done, in which case your daughter needs to be there and actually doing that job on a consistent basis, or it doesn't matter to the employer whether she is there or not as things can carry on without her, in which case her job is redundant, and as she has only been there a short while she would not be entitled to any redundancy payment.

Losing your job due to persistent illhealth and absenteeism doesn't have to mean that you have done anything wrong, just that you are medically incapable of doing the role. If the employer thought you were skiving and taking time off unnecessarily, then that would be a dismissal for gross misconduct which is a very different kettle of fish.

Torry_Quine

ME is an awful disease and she has done well to get well enough to work and must be very careful not to jeopordise her health by possibly working in an inappropriate area where she is exposed to illness.

A flu vaccination is a good idea as it would be very detrimental were she to get flu, actually I'm surprised she doesn't routinely get one.

That said her employer may well decide that she can no longer fulfil her contract and end it. How was she previous to this job?

FBaby

In the end, she can't have her cake and eat it. She either can cope with the demand of the job or she can't. To be fair, it's about what she is prepared to face too. I suffer from colds that develop into sinusitis every three months or so, but I don't go take days off for it. I absolutely despise it and get stressed when it is coming as it makes work difficult, but I still go. I am careful not to touch people, put my hand in front of my mouth if I sneeze, wash my hands all the time and I never pass it on to colleagues nor my family. It's tough and the days are long, but I am not poorly enough to not go.

Gastroenteritis is a 48 hours bug, don't require 3, 4 or 5 days off. Again, not nice to go back when you still feel a bit weak but not bad enough to be off when you are facing disciplinary actions.

If your daughter gets sick easily and can't cope without taking days off, then she just isn't in the right job and it is better she faces it and look for other options.

makeyourdaddyproud

Please use the word 'lose' not 'loose' in the context of post #1. Sorry for being pedantic.

caringa

FBaby wrote: »

In the end, she can't have her cake and eat it. She either can cope with the demand of the job or she can't. To be fair, it's about what she is prepared to face too. I suffer from colds that develop into sinusitis every three months or so, but I don't go take days off for it. I absolutely despise it and get stressed when it is coming as it makes work difficult, but I still go. I am careful not to touch people, put my hand in front of my mouth if I sneeze, wash my hands all the time and I never pass it on to colleagues nor my family. It's tough and the days are long, but I am not poorly enough to not go.

Gastroenteritis is a 48 hours bug, don't require 3, 4 or 5 days off. Again, not nice to go back when you still feel a bit weak but not bad enough to be off when you are facing disciplinary actions.

If your daughter gets sick easily and can't cope without taking days off, then she just isn't in the right job and it is better she faces it and look for other options.

I'm glad that you find it possible to go into work when you have sinusitus. I too suffered with it in my youth and yes - I did manage to keep going but what I am trying to get across is that not everyone is the same. If you have a low immune system, any bug hits you twice as hard as it does a normal healthy person. You just cant generalise.


I entirely disagree with you that gastroenteritis is a 48 hour bug - I had it before she caught it and once the sickness and diarahoea has finished, you are left unable to almost get out of bed for days. I drove her to the doctors and she was told on no account to return to work for 4 days and that was 1 day after she had stopped being sick etc. Then, when she returned to work a day early she was told she shouldnt be there because the sick note said so! Its a no win situation as far as I'm concerned.

caringa

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

Please use the word 'lose' not 'loose' in the context of post #1. Sorry for being pedantic.

Yes - it is very pedantic and not very helpful either! If only that was all I had to worry about!!!

FBaby

Then that job is not for her and she needs to look for something else.

sulphate

FBaby wrote: »

In the end, she can't have her cake and eat it. She either can cope with the demand of the job or she can't. To be fair, it's about what she is prepared to face too. I suffer from colds that develop into sinusitis every three months or so, but I don't go take days off for it. I absolutely despise it and get stressed when it is coming as it makes work difficult, but I still go. I am careful not to touch people, put my hand in front of my mouth if I sneeze, wash my hands all the time and I never pass it on to colleagues nor my family. It's tough and the days are long, but I am not poorly enough to not go.

Gastroenteritis is a 48 hours bug, don't require 3, 4 or 5 days off. Again, not nice to go back when you still feel a bit weak but not bad enough to be off when you are facing disciplinary actions.

If your daughter gets sick easily and can't cope without taking days off, then she just isn't in the right job and it is better she faces it and look for other options.

NHS staff are explicitly told that if you have gastroenteritis not to come in for 48 hours after your last symptom, so I imagine 4 days is the minimum, unless they are "lucky" enough to get it over a weekend/non working day.

gettingready

caringa wrote: »

Yes - it was in the past (8 years ago) but as I said in my post, with many people it leaves them with a very low immune system. This is how it has affected my daughter.

I know what you say but to me this seems like she still has ME - if this is the case... perhaps Equality Act could apply?


Perhaps this may help?

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.actionforme.org.uk%2FResources%2FAction%2520for%2520ME%2FDocuments%2Fget-informed%2FM.E.%2520in%2520the%2520workplace%2520employers%2520leaflet%25202.pdf&ei=84tzUvrJMoHU0QXQn4CoDg&usg=AFQjCNEnkAmMDiNxub5zQFVag33immJLfQ&sig2=qS2NdgOtsNAkoh0Pgwoy-g

CFC

caringa wrote: »

I'm glad that you find it possible to go into work when you have sinusitus. I too suffered with it in my youth and yes - I did manage to keep going but what I am trying to get across is that not everyone is the same. If you have a low immune system, any bug hits you twice as hard as it does a normal healthy person. You just cant generalise.


I entirely disagree with you that gastroenteritis is a 48 hour bug - I had it before she caught it and once the sickness and diarahoea has finished, you are left unable to almost get out of bed for days. I drove her to the doctors and she was told on no account to return to work for 4 days and that was 1 day after she had stopped being sick etc. Then, when she returned to work a day early she was told she shouldnt be there because the sick note said so! Its a no win situation as far as I'm concerned.

Whether she can genuinely keep going or not is not the issue. It's not about that. It's about whether she is fit enough to work for her employer. If she's not fit to their standard she will be terminated, but it isn't misconduct - she is not suited to the job.

And frankly, if she is sickly with a low immune system - as her mother the very very last place I would want her to work is where she will come into contact with sick people. It's madness, absolute madness.