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Hi, my name is Alikins!

Alikins

I’ve been off work sick awaiting corrective surgery for severe osteoarthritis in my left foot.

i have had numerous OH meetings. The last report said that the case was closed. Basically until I have the surgery there is nothing more I can do. I have worked for a large organisation for 37 years and they said at first that they would not have me back into work until the surgery, stating that I was a liability to myself and other colleagues. I have since been told that the surgery is still 6 months away and they have now been trying to force me back into work, but say that I need to be up to my full 7 hour shift within 6 weeks of going back (before surgery)

I was called into another meeting yesterday with my bullying manager and was asked to agree to another OH report. If the last OH report said that the case was closed until I return to work, why am I having to succomb to another meeting?

Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

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Jimm_Alumni

Hi @Alikins, welcome to our community 🙂. I'm sorry that, on top of the stress of needing surgery and living with severe osteoarthritis you're also having to deal with an employer that doesn't seem very understanding at all!

Can I ask, has a lot of this communication been via email or over the phone? As if anything does happen it is good to have a paper trail, so to say. If they are being combative I would certainly suggest all communication be via email if possible.

There is a specialist public body just for workplace advice and that is ACAS. They have a free helpline here: https://www.acas.org.uk/contact

They also have advice pages, like Scope does but specifically for workplace issues, these pages may be of some help?

https://www.acas.org.uk/supporting-disabled-people

https://www.acas.org.uk/supporting-disabled-people/how-an-employer-should-support-disabled-people

They are required to give you reasonable adjustments.

One final question, do you have a union at all? I know many people don't, but if you are in a union they can certainly help.

Alikins

Hi Jimm,

Thankyou for your message. Unfortunately everything is always by word of mouth, they will never write anything down. I was in fact put on a stage 1 warning through their lies, I refused to sign it and told them that I wasn’t signing anything that wasn’t true. I asked yesterday if I could record the meeting so that conversations were not misconstrued, I was told no, both formal and informal meetings could be recorded. I asked why? I did not get a response. I also sent a message to the manager saying this was not fair and totally unjust and that he could say what he liked and lie about me and yet I would not have a leg to stand on.

They are also pushing for me to accept a settlement agreement which equates to a very small amount, I told them that I could not live on such a paltry sum given the fact that I still don’t have a date for surgery….the manager then told me that if I accepted the agreement I could get my foot sorted out privately, he also asked whether I still had a mortgage and whether I had taken my pension. I have since been told that this could be classed as discrimination as he probably not have asked these questions to a male and also it is bullying.

it has been considerably stressful, my elderly father was in and out of hospital last year, unfortunately he passed on the 1st December, I was trying to help with my elderly mother, my son who is usually as fit as a fiddle was taken into hospital last September and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, our most beloved pet cat was hit by a car on the 6th December and we had to have him put to sleep and the pain and stress has been horrendous but still my wonderful employers thought fit to issue me with a stage 1……

Can you guess who I work for? Put it this way we deliver post and drive red vans.

Thank you for your help, I am indebted to you my friend.

Jimm_Alumni

Oh dear, it just gets worse doesn't it. Even if you aren't a part of the union, you can still talk to a rep at the union recognised by your workplace. They will not be able to help represent you, but they may be able to make suggestions based on their knowledge of how the organisation works.

While it is difficult I would try to ensure everything you say is in writing. If it's shown in writing that you have informed them of your condition and how it affects you that will mean something at least. Even if they refuse to communicate via written language, try to ensure anything you say is written. That way if the question "Well did you tell them X?" you will have evidence.

Alikins

ok thank you for that, you have been most helpful.

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