Reasonable adjustments and sickness

Legacy_user

I have bipolar disorder. Recently i experienced a hypermanic epsiode, that resulted in my mood stabilizer dose being quadrupled. The only thing which could have triggered it was an increase in my working hours and working longer (7/8 hour shifts). I previously had a fit note stating i couldn't work more than 8 hours but feel in honestly my limit is about 6 without it triggering a change in mood (either sending me suicidally depressed or bouncing off the walls hypermanic).

My workplace have a policy of 3 counselling and coaching sessions before it becoming verbal, written warning and dismissal. I had my first of these sessions the other week with my manager I discussed that 6 hours was my limit and she said theyl'd try and implement it.

I have a meeting with my area manager and occ health at some point (not been arranged yet).I'm seeing my GP next week and will hopefully have a fit note to support that.

What i need to know is should there be any allowance made for my sicknesses related to my disability? The 4 occasions i was off are a direct result of my bipolar (3 because i was hypermniac and unable to continue working in that state and 1 because i took additional medication during a shift and was sick as a result). I could realistically have taken a whole month off sick to adjust to medication and the impact on my mood but didnt out of misplaced loyalyy cos we were short staffed during that period (if i had would have been treated as one period of sickness not 4).

I don;t know where i stand currently. I'm asking to be reffered back to the CMHT (mental health team) and am worried as i may need time off for appointments and possible medication changes. Any advice is welcomed

Undervalued

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

I have bipolar disorder. Recently i experienced a hypermanic epsiode, that resulted in my mood stabilizer dose being quadrupled. The only thing which could have triggered it was an increase in my working hours and working longer (7/8 hour shifts). I previously had a fit note stating i couldn't work more than 8 hours but feel in honestly my limit is about 6 without it triggering a change in mood (either sending me suicidally depressed or bouncing off the walls hypermanic).

My workplace have a policy of 3 counselling and coaching sessions before it becoming verbal, written warning and dismissal. I had my first of these sessions the other week with my manager I discussed that 6 hours was my limit and she said theyl'd try and implement it.

I have a meeting with my area manager and occ health at some point (not been arranged yet).I'm seeing my GP next week and will hopefully have a fit note to support that.

What i need to know is should there be any allowance made for my sicknesses related to my disability? The 4 occasions i was off are a direct result of my bipolar (3 because i was hypermniac and unable to continue working in that state and 1 because i took additional medication during a shift and was sick as a result). I could realistically have taken a whole month off sick to adjust to medication and the impact on my mood but didnt out of misplaced loyalyy cos we were short staffed during that period (if i had would have been treated as one period of sickness not 4).

I don;t know where i stand currently. I'm asking to be reffered back to the CMHT (mental health team) and am worried as i may need time off for appointments and possible medication changes. Any advice is welcomed

Assuming your illness counts as a disability for employment law purposes (and you would need to check) then the employer must make "reasonable adjustments". If appropriate some relaxation in sickness management policy could be a reasonable adjustment.

Have you had a formal meeting with your employer to discuss what "reasonable adjustments" would be appropriate? Have any been agreed?

Even with a disability (assuming your condition qualifies) no employer can accept excessive amount of sickness absence so I'm afraid at best you would be looking at some relaxation in their policy, not lifting it completely.

sammyjammy

If you can only work 6 hours a day and this seems like it will continue long term then why are you not putting a request in to reduce your working hours, if you did this then maybe your sickness issues would be resolved?

sangie595

I am slightly confused by your post. You say that the only thing that could have triggered this was an increase in your hours to 7/8 a day. But also that your fit note says no more than 8 a day. And to have therefore been an increase you must have been working less than the 7/8 previously, or there would have been no increase in hours? Were you previously on reduced hours, and why?

Darksparkle

In my work occ health would recommend what is a reasonable adjustment for sick absenses before any formal action was taken on attendance. Perhaps yours will do the same when you meet with them.

I agree with PP, a reduction in working hours seems like the best thing if you know you can't work more than 6hrs. What are you contracted to do?

soolin

As above, what are your contracted hours meant to be? Is it possible to ask for an adjustment to either work fewer hours a day and more days, or to go to reduced hours ? Depending on your work and employer it would not seem unreasonable to ask to reduce your hours, obviously it will reduce your income and the employer can say no, but backed by a fit note the request itself does not seem unreasonable.

Xbigman

I work with two people who are bipolar and they have reduced the number of days they work and not the number of hours. In both cases there has been a significant improvement. My company vastly prefers reductions in days over hours because it is much easier to manage. This is something you might consider.



Darren

Barny1979

As above Occ Health should be involved before disciplinary kicks in.

Takeaway_Addict

Barny1979 wrote: »

As above Occ Health should be involved before disciplinary kicks in.

Most places don't have OH so this isn't true, it is an ideal but not a requirement.

soolin

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

Most places don't have OH so this isn't true, it is an ideal but not a requirement.

I did wonder about that as well as I have certainly worked at a number of places where the sickness and disciplinary policy did not refer to occupational health as a necessity. In most of my positions the policy was all that mattered with varying options given after certain periods of sick leave culminating in either leave without pay or dismissal.

ive been freelance now for quite a while and whilst some of the companies I work for have Occy health many do not and whilst it doesn't affect me it has affected those employed that I have worked alongside.

System

sangie595 wrote: »

I am slightly confused by your post. You say that the only thing that could have triggered this was an increase in your hours to 7/8 a day. But also that your fit note says no more than 8 a day. And to have therefore been an increase you must have been working less than the 7/8 previously, or there would have been no increase in hours? Were you previously on reduced hours, and why?

The 8 hours fit note was from when i was working 11/13 hours shifts so needed a reduction then, now been reduced to 6 hours since getting fit note from doctor today. Contracted to 16 hours a week though in feb it jumped upto 30+ hours. Sorry for any confusion.

We don;t have set days or shifts it varies every week. Would set shifts/set hours be seen as a possible reasonable adjustment?