Reasonable adjustments yet again

iammumtoone

I suspect the issue might be that each team has a supervisor and if you are taking calls that nobody else on your team know how to handle if there is an issue them the supervisor of that team would not be able to help regarding this, which won't be good for you or the customer.

Is there not any other work within your new team that you could help with? In an office environment there is always something that needs doing, maybe you could help with some of the other tasks or assist another team on the same floor level?

Manxman_in_exile

So your old team and their "project" work have been relocated to an inaccessible (for you) part of the building and you've been transferred to a new team where the work is less satisfying.


Presumably your employer believes that you physically need to be together with your old team members in order to continue doing that work? I can understand that this might be the case but perhaps it's worth challenging? I worked in the NHS and was often working on more than one team at the same time. But we were rarely located in the same office together. I'm a bit surprised that if you are employed by a Govt dept they can't be a bit more accommodating. But perhaps the adjustment you want just won't work for them.


As another poster suggested, perhaps you just need to take your request higher up. Is it just your team leader/manager who has decided to withdraw the adjustment? Perhaps it needs a decision from someone who can see the broader picture and isn't so task-oriented?


As you're in the public sector, aren't you in a union? I think that's essential, especially if you have any kind of disability.


(PS I also think that the arrangement you describe is a rather unusual "adjustment". Is it possible your employer doesn't realise that you see it as an adjustment?)

dori2o

agrinnall wrote: »

But presumably your bosses think that your time would be best spent dealing with calls for the 1 line of business rather than 3, and that other teams are better placed to deal with the calls for the other 2 lines of business. While that may make things less interesting for you it's not really a requirement of any job to make the work more interesting, it's just a bonus if that happens.

While you can make your case for retaining the variety of work ultimately I think you will lose if they decide to stick with what they have now decided, and it will be up to you whether you wish to continue doing that job.

It's not just because I want variety and I want happiness whilst at work, it's that the variety of work provides distraction, which aids in the management of a chronic illness/condition.

This isn't something that I want for vanity reasons it's something I need to be able to manage my disability whilst at work.

If I get bored taking the same repetitive calls which are easy to resolve, or end up clearing a batch of very simple post, I start to feelthe pain in my leg more and more. It's not just an ache, it's not a twinge, this is very strong, very severe, knawing/twisting/stabing/shooting, constant, unremitting pain which at it's best is an 8 or 9 out of 10 and at it's worseis far higher than 10.

The pain is there all the time. I feel it even when I'm asleep.

I've had the issue for a number of years, have tried every medication/combination of meds, and so far the condition has proven to be unresponsive to all, including the likes of Ketamine, Methadone, Buprenorphne, and combinations of several anti epileptics/anti psychotics/anti depressants.

I find distraction technique to be a very useful tool when it comes to management of this pain.

When I worked on the project team I was able to have earphones in whilst dealing with post as music acts as a distraction. Unfortunately this was never recorded as one of my reasonable adjustments. Though I intend to sort that out when I get back to work.

If I don't have the variations I'll find it much harder to manage the chronic pain, which will (as it has in the past) lead to me being unable to remain in work and will lead to sickness absence.

I have it in writing that the provision of keeping the 3 lines of business were being retained when I moved to the new team as a reasonable adjustment, to ensure that I remained in a position to continue the management of my chronic condition.

I am in the Union but I'm not yet back at work so was looking for some advice prior to returning to work.

Undervalued

I am sorry if this sounds harsh but I suspect the "reasonable adjustments" you have received in the past go further than the law would require if it came to a tribunal.

Realistically most employers, particularly large public service departments. actually do far more than the minimum. Yes there will be exceptions but ultimately you need to try and keep some goodwill with the managers you are dealing with. If that breaks down (you mention two past grievances) and you find yourself dealing with somebody who wants, for whatever reasons, to dig their heels in and "manage" you out you may not have much to fall back on.

You also seem to have taken significant amounts of sick leave. Have you received a reasonable adjustment in that regard too or has it been managed in the same way as any other employee's?

Yes, take proper advice from your union but tread carefully here and don't rely on "rights" that may not be anything like as strong as you think.

Sorry, I know that is not what you want to hear but it doesn't make it bad advice.

Manxman_in_exile

Speak to your union then. I'm sure they'll support you as much as they can.


As a word of advice, I don't think I would suggest the pain sometimes exceeds 10. If you were to tell your employer that, they might wonder whether you're exaggerating 8 and 9. I don't doubt the pain must be severe, but I personally wouldn't say 11. (And no - I haven't experienced your level of pain so I don't know what it's like.)


PS - is it worth contacting your union rep before returning to work?

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

Speak to your union then. I'm sure they'll support you as much as they can.


As a word of advice, I don't think I would suggest the pain sometimes exceeds 10. If you were to tell your employer that, they might wonder whether you're exaggerating 8 and 9. I don't doubt the pain must be severe, but I personally wouldn't say 11. (And no - I haven't experienced your level of pain so I don't know what it's like.)


PS - is it worth contacting your union rep before returning to work?

It doesn't matter how bad it is, it obviously can't be worse than the worst imaginable pain, which is what 10 is.

Manxman_in_exile

I know, but when I previewed the post I took it out because I thought I was beginning to sound too unsympathetic

ohreally

dori2o wrote: »

It's not just because I want variety and I want happiness whilst at work

Happiness or reasonable adjustments, whats your preference?

Undervalued

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

I know, but when I previewed the post I took it out because I thought I was beginning to sound too unsympathetic

Likewise.

Obviously I am very sympathetic about the situation the OP describes but that doesn't help one little bit.

I genuinely think there is a real danger of this backfiring if it is mishandled. Ultimately only the OP knows what is manageable for him / her but that has to be looked at in context of the alternatives.

Take this to the ultimate. S/he decides the reasonable adjustments the department are prepared to offer are not sufficient and either resigns or is dismissed on capability grounds. They may have a disability discrimination claim which their union may fund. It will take a long time and it will cause a great deal of stress. They may win and, if they do, they may get a reasonable amount of compensation. However, based on what has been posted here that is far from certain.

After all that s/he still has no job and, realistically, the chances of getting a suitable one have dropped further.

So, the only alternative is claiming ESA which means attending regular assessments and, in all probability, being judged fit for some work regardless of whether a suitable role is realistically available.

Ultimately only the OP can decide whether the current job with the adjustments that are on offer (or easily negotiable) is actually manageable at all and, if so, preferable to the alternatives.

Darksparkle

I can't remember the exact term they used but do you have one of those reasonable adjustment passports (I think that's what they call it).

Is it not possible to move up to the higher floors? I know you said your disability prevented it but when I worked in the contact centre we had a manager who couldn't walk up or down stairs. Normally he used the lift and in case of emergencies he has a chair that we were trained to use.