1st warning for being sick

jacques_chirac

Any chance you can get stronger pain relief? I appreciate it isn't always easy to get people to understand the level of pain, including doctors!

I would ask for a referral to occupational health. With their input it may be possible to arrange a level of flexitime, so you can take leave at short notice but make up your hours elsewhere.

I'm not convinced either way as to whether you would be classed as having a disability or not. I'm leaning towards not, but the law does take into account that some conditions vary over time, so it is not possible to be certain.

badskindollheart

clarryd wrote: »

But I am sure if you have a recognised condition confirmed by your GP/Specialist they couldn't do anything and you where covered.

You could have Cerebral Palsy and be dismissed if your level of absence is unsustainable for the business, so having a condition confirmed by a GP is no protection.

kirri97

Thanks everyone for replying


Yeah I will ask for stronger pain killers.. I'm taking co codamol at the moment but to be honest what is does is help me sleep through the pain! I can literally sleep for 2 days when I take them.

I'd be happy to work the extra hours back when the company needs it.. I'm going to have another meeting soon and will bring this up. thanks for the tip

AP007

kirri97 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for replying


Yeah I will ask for stronger pain killers.. I'm taking co codamol at the moment but to be honest what is does is help me sleep through the pain! I can literally sleep for 2 days when I take them.

I'd be happy to work the extra hours back when the company needs it.. I'm going to have another meeting soon and will bring this up. thanks for the tip

Co Codomol wouldn't even take the edge off my period pains so gave up taking them after 10 years as they cause you to have bowl problems and are addictive. Watch how long and how many you take.

You can sleep for 2 days on these? They aren't sleeping pills.

kirri97

Yeah I'm not sure why they make me so tired.. But they make me very sleepy.. And it's been my way to deal with it.

jacques_chirac

AP007 wrote: »

Co Codomol wouldn't even take the edge off my period pains so gave up taking them after 10 years as they cause you to have bowl problems and are addictive. Watch how long and how many you take.

You can sleep for 2 days on these? They aren't sleeping pills.

They can have a sedative effect.

They don't send me to sleep but I always have very lucid dreams on them!

AP007

jacques_chirac wrote: »

They can have a sedative effect.

They don't send me to sleep but I always have very lucid dreams on them!

Never did that to me and I took 8 a day for 5 days at a time.

FBaby

High dose of co-codamol (prescribed) will make you very sleepy.

OP, you say you are waiting for treatment, how long is it going to be? The problem is that you are now at risk of being disciplined if you are ill again. How are you going to ensure that you are not?

I would push the hospital for a treatment date, then discuss how you can manage until then with your manager. In the end, you both have to understand each other's needs (him that you need flexibility until surgery, you that he has a business to run and can't lose out financially because of your condition) and find a way to meet in the middle.

sensibleadvice

kirri97 wrote: »

I have been with my employer for 2,5 years. I was diagnosed in 2007 and had a Laparoscopy shortly after that which took a lot of my symptoms away for a few years.

Endo affects me every 2 weeks, but its only 2-3 days a month were Im really bad and in too much pain to eat or even sit.. the other 7-8 days it affects me I can manage with painkillers.

I usually try to request all days off when I'm expecting to get ill, but sometimes it doesnt come on those expected days.. Which is why I have had to call in sick. Ive usually been off for only 1 day, apart from the other sickness which didnt have anything to do with my endometriosis (i was then off 3 days)

if you look at it longer term i have also only been off sick 4 times in 1 year.. but as ive had a lot of pain with endo lately, and all sicknesses were close together I was put on this improvement plan not to be sick once for 12 months

You've been off 4x in 7 months so at that rate it's about 7x per year. This, together with the frequency you're expecting to get I'll is likely the reason a monitoring period has been set. It may be possible to evidence you meet DDA criteria but even then reasonable adjustments may not amount to all the time off because reasonable also takes account if business needs.

agrinnall

jobbingmusician wrote: »

I believe you have the right, if you are off sick, to take the leave as annual leave instead. However, I can't find a reference for this except under a guidance page for businesses in N Ireland!

As jacques chirac says, there's no right to it, but it can be done if the employer agrees. The reference is here:

https://www.gov.uk/taking-sick-leave

Sick leave and holiday

Statutory holiday entitlement is built up (accrued) while an employee is off work sick (no matter how long they’re off).
Any statutory holiday entitlement that isn’t used because of illness can be carried over into the next leave year.
If the employer agrees, employees can choose to take paid holiday while on sick leave. For example, because they don’t qualify for sick pay. Any rules relating to sick leave will still apply. Also, if an employee is ill just before or during their leave, they can take it as sick leave and take the missed leave at a later date.