Chat with Line Manager about Epilepsy, Depression and long term sick leave

When_the_going_gets_tough

Op just remember this is an open forum and even the best advice relies on a partial knowledge of the facts. People can an do give very helpful general guidance but it is always worth talking to an expert face to face about your particular circumstances. Also with regard to employment law what is legal is often b
Not what people might think of as fair. Good luck with your diagnosis and treatment.

Undervalued

iamlucky18 wrote: »

I've been on long term sick leave for 4 months now due to depression and epilepsy. On SSP at the mo. Line manager requested a meeting for a chat at a coffee shop this Friday.

A couple of weeks ago I was admitted to hospital for a 5 day test for my epilepsy. My LM had the nerve to ask me how I was, what the outcome of the test was, and whether I had a report. I'm sorry but I was just discharged, but how can I already have access to a report as I haven't had follow up with my neurologist yet. I'm pretty sure my LM doesn't have the right to be asking these questions; it's HRs.

I didn't reply to those questions in the email. I said to the LM that well leave it to the meeting. I've also voluntarily consented access to my health records by occupational health.

How should I play this meeting? Advice much appreciated.

Sorry to be blunt but you should "play" it very differently to the attitude you have shown on here.

First of all I am assuming that epilepsy does qualify as a disability for the purposes of the Equality Act? I take it you are sure of that?

Even then that only requires the firm to make "reasonable adjustments". It does not require them to turn the business on its head to accommodate you or incur more than modest costs in making allowances for your needs. It certainly does not prevent them form terminating your employment on capability grounds if you continue to take significant amounts of sick leave. Reasonable adjustments don't go anything like as far as many people fondly imagine. Ultimately only a tribunal can decide what is reasonable in a particular situation.

It is perfectly reasonable for a firm to want to keep in regular contact with an employee who is frequently off sick. It would be foolish to refuse the meeting without a very specific reason and it would be best to approach it in a calm and reasonable way.

Ultimately a business employs people to work, not to be off sick. Obviously they must comply with the law but you also need their goodwill if there is to be any chance of long term employment which is, I assume, what you want?

iamlucky18

lewishardwick wrote: »

"40 days off for tonic clonic seizures" - As an employer I would be worried you could come to harm in the work place.
"They didn't provide reasonable adjustments at the time" - What reasonable adjustment can you make for epilepsy? Would you like the workplace wrapped 24/7 in foam padding?

As others have mentioned the tone of your original post suggests you are immediately on the defensive and are difficult to cooperate with. Your line manager is entitled to meetings with you while you're are off sick.

Of course, after such a long time I'd be asking what is the plan for your condition. Do they doctors have a plan? After all many epileptics lead full and active lives with regular medication. Are you seeing support for your depression?

Be mindful, if your employer is anything like mine, if you are off sick for 6 months and it looks like you'll not retun soon, they lay you off with a final salary % and wave goodbye.

24/7 foam padding? Do you like to inadvertently take the !!!! out of people with mental health issues? Any you've just proven more needs to be done to educate others about epilepsy.

You do know there are different types of tonic clonic seizures and totally different types of seizures and they're not necessarily caused by flashing screens as a lot of people believe.

paulharding150

iamlucky18 wrote: »

I've been on long term sick leave for 4 months now due to depression and epilepsy. On SSP at the mo. Line manager requested a meeting for a chat at a coffee shop this Friday.

A couple of weeks ago I was admitted to hospital for a 5 day test for my epilepsy. My LM had the nerve to ask me how I was, what the outcome of the test was, and whether I had a report. .

The !!!!!!!! Asking how you are after a hospital admission during a four month sickness. Who does s/he think they are? :think:

iamlucky18 wrote: »

I'm sorry but I was just discharged, but how can I already have access to a report as I haven't had follow up with my neurologist yet.

How his s/he to know that you need a follow up with a neurologist and/or that you havn't had the report yet?

lewishardwick

No, luv. YOU need to do more the calm down and stop getting so het up about things. There are thousands of conditions that people don't know inside out, perhaps we should just spend our days making sure we dont upset people.

I have HIV and I bet you know the grand sum of SOD ALL about that.

Good luck - Happy Christmas. Hope you get things sorted.

Tigsteroonie

iamlucky18 wrote: »

A couple of weeks ago I was admitted to hospital for a 5 day test for my epilepsy. My LM had the nerve to ask me how I was, what the outcome of the test was, and whether I had a report. I'm sorry but I was just discharged, but how can I already have access to a report as I haven't had follow up with my neurologist yet. I'm pretty sure my LM doesn't have the right to be asking these questions; it's HRs.

Actually, they do. HR are there to advise Line Managers how to handle such situations, but they wouldn't necessarily be directly involved in return to work discussions (phone and meetings). You could ask that your return to work discussions are held with HR rather than your Line Manager, but that could be seen as obstructive.

I think the questions asked were quite fair. Line Managers don't have a detailed knowledge of every illness, every disability, every step of NHS investigations. So asking to see a report if you have one, asking what the tests found, seems quite acceptable to me - as would be you saying "Sorry, I don't have those yet, I haven't seen the consultant since the tests, so I will let you know".

Forty days lost due to seizures is quite substantial and is probably beyond the level of making a reasonable adjustment. As a comparison, my employer allows 3 sickness absences within 6 months before starting to have serious conversations about fitness for work. Reasonable adjustments can double that threshold, but are not limitless.

polgara

So you have had 40 days off previousl (given formal warning) and now off for 4 months...and you have got an attitude about your line manager wanting information? Work with your line manager or you may find yourself without the line manager pretty quickly!

[Deleted User]

I think the OP's responses indicate that there is little an internet forum can do to help him...

Tigsteroonie

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

I think the OP's responses indicate that there is little an internet forum can do to help him...

Not so sure - remember that the OP is also suffering from depression. My experience of managing somebody with similar combination of issues is that they can be very up-and-down in their moods. So whilst they are coming across as fractious today, when they re-read the thread in a couple of days they could be calmer and more open to the explanations and advice being given.

[Deleted User]

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

So whilst they are coming across as fractious today, when they re-read the thread in a couple of days they could be calmer and more open to the explanations and advice being given.

Well the coffee shop meeting with his Manager is set for tomorrow, so hopefully his mood will swing before that.
The fact that the meeting is taking place in an informal setting rather than the workplace would indicate (to me at least) that the Manager is trying to be as accommodating to the OP as possible. It is unwise for him to be uncooperative.