Advice regarding work and potential serious illness

Noctu

I am so sorry to hear of your news.

I guess my first question would be, what would you advise a friend to do in this situation?

Your health has to come first and you are in a good position with regard to employment rights given your length of employment with the company.

If I were you I would go get signed off and concentrate on getting better.

I don't suppose you have any health insurance or income protection policies? Just a thought.

Big hugs to you and have a restful Christmas as much as possible. X

Polarbeary

Please get signed off. I hope they pay you good money for the hours you work. It sounds awful. You need to rest and not be dealing with awful customers at this time of year especially! Sending you my best wishes.

Gordie1975

Bit of an update to this, im still working, but are no doing 40 odd hours per week, so not as bad.

However now, the doctors are saying chemotherapy is going to be one of the treatments i get, im glad i didnt take time off sick for stress now, as id imagine i will need a decent bit of time off for the chemo and recovery.

As im unsure what drug the chemo will involve or the duration of the therapy, or the way my body will handle the side effects i cant really plan in advance.

I think the chemo will start march, i have asked head office about restricted hours/days during the therapy and how doing less hours impacts my pay, but they dodged the question, i asked my area manager and he pretty much dodged it as well so i guess i would be docked if i came in restriced hours, rather unfair when they have you doing 60 hours with no extra pay (they dont pay overtime).

But they both seemed keen on me just taking the time off as sick, i get 3 months fill then 50% for further 3 months, so i was hoping to hold onto the sick time as long as possible to keep my wages up.

To add to the "fun" i am 8 months into a DRO, meaning any claim for benefit (if i dropped to 50%) could cause me to fail my DRO, and my car which is on its last legs is due for its insurance next month and an MOT in 3 months.

i could do without the car, but thats listed on the DRO outgoings as insurance, repairs, road tax, petrol, so getting rid of it would change my circumstances enough to fail the DRO.

everything seems to be hapenning at just the wrong time.

I am also applying for a council house at the moment as the rent on this place is too much, however again, the DRO would need to be over as less rent would affect the DRO.

Im not sure what to do, just needed a bit of a rant.

bugslet

Can't advise much on most of your post, but Mr Bugs had chemo and really it affected him minimally, mostly tingling feelings in his hands and feet. It really does depend on what type of chemo you have, what the side effects are, so ask your doc what type of side effects you can expect.

No overtime......says it all.:mad:

Savvy_Sue

Talk to MacMillan!

TBagpuss

You mention lots of overtime with no extra pay - have you double-checked that this does not take you below NMW?

It may also be worth you making a formal request for reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act - employers are not allowed to discriminate on the basis of disability and are supposed to make resoabnble adjustments to accommodate the neds of diables employees. Cancer is calssed as a disability (Schdule 1 of the Equalities Act)

'Reasonable Adjustments' depend on the specific situationa nd the circumstnaces (e.g. something might be reasonable where the employer is a big organisation such as Marks and Spencer, but the same adjustment might not be reasonable for a small, independent shop, for instace)
In your case, it might be a reasonable adjustment for your employer not to require you to work any overtime / to limit your working hours to 37 hours a week (or whatever your basic hours are supposed to be)

P 33 of [URL="file:///C:/Users/mtaylor2/Downloads/Cancer%20in%20the%20workplace%20-%202nd%20Edition%20(Web).pdf"]this [/URL]document (a training booklet produced for the TUC) gives some examples of things which may be reasonable adjustments and also what factors are relevant in considering how reasonable something is.

Iwould sugges tthat you make a formal, written request (via HR or your line manager, whatever is appropriate) so that (a) they have ben formally made aware that you are now calssified as havign a Disability under the Equality Act and are protected, and (b) settign out what reasonable adjustments you need.

Keep a copy of the letter.

You may find that the adjustments you need change in March when your chemo starts and you can make a fuirther request at that time (unless of course you need to sign off sick at that point)

Good Luck.

Macmillan may be able to offer further help or support, as may your union, if you are a union member.

Gordie1975

Thank you for the responses.

In regards to complying with minimum wage, im actually in managment, and have had no pay increases or bonuses for 3 years, meaning the differential is less between me and staff on rung below, i havent went below minimum wage yet, but a few times have been on less per hour than staff on the till, come national living wage, if they dont increase my wages, i will very often be on less that living wage.
I've lost my contract now unfortunately, however the company used to pay a set amount (£50) every week you worked more than 50 hours, the company changed hands 3 years ago and the new owners simply sent an Email saying "that payment will stop" and a week before our pay said "no bonuses will be paid anymore".
It used to be a good company, since it was sold, they give you absolutely nothing.

we have nearly 800 stores, so not a small company.

thank you all for the advice.

Savvy_Sue

Just remembered, MacMillan produce a booklet for employers, which we found useful when we needed it!