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Hi, my name is Whatsthis

Whatsthis
Whatsthis Community member Posts: 8 Listener
Hello everyone, I hope I can get some advice here because I'm lost

Comments

  • Ami2301
    Ami2301 Community member Posts: 7,942 Disability Gamechanger
    Welcome to the community @Whatsthis how can we help? :)
    Disability Gamechanger - 2019
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Whatsthis - & welcome to the community, & thank you for joining. There's usually someone here who can help or advise, so what are you lost with? :)
  • Whatsthis
    Whatsthis Community member Posts: 8 Listener
    Hi ami2301, 

    I'm not sure anyone can help and I don't know where to start but I'll give you a brief summary. 

    I have a heart condition and nerve damage in my neck and shoulder.

    I applied for an office based job which was advertised and described during training as office based, where I would go from office to appointment and back to office again. 

    The reality of the role is that each shop has control over my calendar and appointments but I do not, the jobs have been booked at the start and end of my shifts and with no gaps between, i have effectively been a home based (peripatetic) employee for over 3 years because of this. 

    During my first 3 months I asked my employer for an auto van for work they ignored me, few months later I asked again and they refused. I argued and they agreed to let me use a car if I funded it, so that's what I did. 

    A year later I was put forward for promotion by a manager from another team because he had noticed a very good standard of work.
    Head office refused to consider me for the role because I don't drive a company van. 

    I was then told I was expected to work a minimum of 60hours per week in my role (which they refused to put in writing) and they changed my hours/shift pattern despite my objections, 'for the needs of the business' was the only reason given. 

    I have no control over my calendar or the appointments in it,  appointments were consistently booked outside my  shift times and on my days off too. On top of this the new hours didn't allow me to take my meds because of the very short rest period between shifts (finish at 10pm on late but back on early 8am next day) which ultimately lead to a 3 week disability related absence. 

    On my return we agreed my hours would go back to 9 to 6 everyday to allow me to manage my meds again but they've continued to book jobs outside my working hours.

    I emailed all those who were overriding my calendar to book jobs that I would no longer be working outside my contracted hours and all jobs booked outside my shifts will be attended. 

    I was then given a disciplinary for not completing training in the office even though I do not have any control over what I do where or when and no time had been allowed for training. 

    I then started to get very awkward bookings, {shift start 9am but job booked to start at 9am which is 2hours away etc)

    They then sent me an email saying your new auto van is ready??? 

    I had over 6months left on the lease deal for the car I had to fund so I asked if I could continue with that till the deal ends and then find a suitable solution because a van will most likely not be very good for me (having the car made me realise how much better the seating position was for my neck and shoulder). 

    I was then asked to go to a OH case study meeting, I went and there were 2 managers from the company and no medical OH professional. 

    They kept trying to say that I have refused the new van because it has a tracker and as soon as that 'oh meeting' finished they conducted a surprise investigation for disciplinary against me there and then. 

    I had a panic attack and my heart hasn't been right since, I've been off for the last 6 weeks and I don't know what to do now. 

    Sorry for the waffling






  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @Whatsthis   Pleased to meet you.

    You could contact ACAS.

    Deals with employment issues.

    https://www.acas.org.uk.

    Helpline 0300 123 1100

    Another one is CAB your local office, could be advising you.

    Please if I can help with anything else please ask.

    Please take care.

    @thespiceman
    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
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  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Whatsthis - Hope you don't mind me replying. There's some information here on Scope's website about discrimination at work, which may be applicable. Please see: https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/disability-discrimination-at-work/
    See also the link as you scroll down to 'Reasonable adjustments.'
    I'm sorry all this has, not unsurprisingly, affected you & your health so badly, as it doesn't seem like you've been treated fairly at all. Anyway, please look through the above, & see if it's helpful at all.
    Please continue to talk here any time, & others may reply with ideas too. Take care. :)


  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello and welcome, it seems to me like you have a lot on your plate at the moment.

     Have you spoken to your HR department or asked to be referred to Occupational health. Do you have any union representation.
    Your employers should consider reasonable adjustments under the equality act. You need to get some one to one advise I would suggest contacting ACAS as mentioned before  

  • Whatsthis
    Whatsthis Community member Posts: 8 Listener
    Thank you for the replies @chiarieds and @thespiceman.

    I have just contacted Acas and they want me to lodge an official grievance about it all, they gave me some guidance for the format etc.. 

    Im going to work on that over the weekend and get that in ASAP. 

    The other links will help with writing this lot up too. 

    Thanks again
  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Whatsthis, just wanted to check in to see how you were getting on.
    Scope

  • Whatsthis
    Whatsthis Community member Posts: 8 Listener
    Hi - I stupidly didn't raise the grievance - every time I tried to type it out I'd get overrun with adrenaline and just couldn't do it (I have over active adrenaline and a dodgy ticker). I was put on furlough which allowed me to forget about it all though.

    My job was min wage + commission at the time, my furlough was 80% of min wage.

    I was made redundant during this furlough (unfairly) and given the same job back with a different title and commission structure.

    When the first furlough ended I was given a van again, I asked for OH and they said it wasn't an option due to covid etc.. and it was in the terms of the new job that I would have to be able to drive a van. I had no option but to drive the van for work.

    I had a RTA in the van and suffered whiplash, I wasn't paid for the 3 weeks I had off sick and the van started to play up in Jan, I reported it and they said they would arrange for it to be serviced, the day after this I was put on furlough again. from Jan to April 2021.

    I received a letter asking me to agree to use my holiday entitlement whilst on furlough but the deadline to agree passed before delivery of the letter. I was paid around 40% of my wage last month via furlough. - I have asked for a breakdown of this payment and I've been ignored.

    I was given 10 days notice that furlough was ending in April, I was in the new rota as first day back on Sunday, - I don't work Sundays and never have but they insisted.

    The van wouldn't start on that Sunday morning and I reported it ASAP, everywhere was closed due to being Sunday and had to wait till Monday for call back from vehicle management company, they arranged to come out and fix the van on the Tuesday which they did but were unable to fix it due to needing parts.

    I was then told by work that this time will go down as unpaid leave and I have to make my own way to showroom the following day or disciplinary procedures would start etc etc..

    I told them it wasn't possible for me to make my own way there and my family in hardship due to very low income for over a year and unpaid furlough etc..  I had a bit of a breakdown at this point

    After a few days they changed their tune and I received a letter saying that they've offered to pay for taxis to and from and I had to claim the money back at the end of the month (£30 per day each way minimum), - if I fail to do this it will result in disciplinary blah blah..

    I have no idea what to do, I can't afford to pay last months gas and electric and they think I can throw £1200 on transport to work.

    A colleague of mine had an RTA that was his fault around 12 months ago and they hired him a car for over a month.

    they're also aware that I'm clinically vulnerable to covid and refuse to allow me to work from home and insist on public transport / taxis.

    I sent notice that i intend to raise a grievance this morning and asked for copy of policy and procedures.

    anyone any ideas on what i should do - i need someone to write it for me?

    thanks
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi there 

    This is quite complex and would be impossible for anyone on a forum to help you write 

    In your grievance for every situation you need to point out what your complaint is a tip is to follow who   what,  when , where and why principle 

    Have you looked at ACAS getting involved or looked at their website for advice and tips 

    You could also see if cab or welfare rights can help 


  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Whatsthis - as you're looking for help in writing about this, as Jane suggests you could try Citizens Advice/Welfare Rights. See what's near you by using this link: https://advicelocal.uk/

  • Whatsthis
    Whatsthis Community member Posts: 8 Listener
    thankyou both - sorry for the duplicated post i didnt think anyone saw it here - the link is very helpful too ;)
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    You're most welcome @Whatsthis - please let us know how you get on. :)

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