Hi, my name is InMySights! Husband has cancer, I need to know his position and rights at work

InMySights

My husband has cancer and I need to fully understand his position and rights at work. 

Albus_Scope

Hey there @InMySights and welcome to the community.

I'm sorry to hear about your husbands diagnosis. Are there any things you specifically need to know about? I'm no expert with these things, so I'm going to pop your post into a different category and rename your post, so more people in the know will be able to see it and offer advice.  I hope that's ok? 

InMySights

Hi Albus, 
I hope I’m responding in the right place! Thank you for your response to my post. My husband is a headteacher at a private school and has been off work since May. He is undergoing treatment after having September and October written off by so severe reaction to his chemotherapy, but they were concerned about his survival. We moved care to the private sector as he has insurance. He was refused a phased return by his employers and is now on half pay. He has been signed back as fit to work full time by his consultant but his employers are still baulking at his return even now. He has to have a meeting with him next week to ‘establish his motivation for returning to work while still being treated’. Can they do this?

Albus_Scope

You are indeed responding in the right place.

That sounds like quite the grueling time for your husband, but I'm glad he's been classed as fit for work now. That cant have been easy for either of you.

As far as his employers denying him full time work, has he spoken to occupational health regarding this? That's often a good first port of call. Or possibly have a look on the ACAS website?

InMySights

He has spoken to his union, but that was some time ago. Knowing him he will be waiting to see exactly what they have to say next week before he decides what to do next. He did mention occupational health at one point, but I don’t think he’s spoken to them. I will suggest it. I don’t think his employers (and mine) have behaved very well and it angers me after 15 years of impeccable service. His staff and parents are desperate for him to come back so he has a lot of support there, but at the end of the day that probably doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. He has had a hard time. and it’s not over yet, but to have some normality back in his life would be such a boost. We live onsite so that makes things more complex. Thanks for your input Albus 😊