Fed up today

masaka

Hello,

The on-running saga of work. How employers are getting away with things is fascinating to watch. I have got RA which is in a flare up at the moment, still recovering from a left hip revision, and as of 3 weeks ago have been told my other hip is now sufficiently arthritic to be done (I am going to have a break though I can't face it for at least 6 months).

Had a meeting last week with my Head and the Shaw Trust- it was like pulling teeth. She informed me that I shouldn't come into work unless I am 100% fit. I felt like saying to her that on that criteria I probably shouldn't have been in work at any time over the last 5 years. She thinks I should be as capable as a non disabled person. She seemingly does not believe in any concessions as I should be fit enough to do the job. Finally got her to agree that I should not have to do a lunch time duty (she didn't even know that she had put me on one outside in the cold). I think she thinks my electric wheelchair is an attention seeking device!!!

She is making me feel like XXXX

She is now trying the capability route. I am getting to the point where somebody is going to have to point out to her that if the school had done what it should have done over the years and provided me with support in the beginning I might not be struggling now. (I think I will leave that one to the union).

If I can't get her to understand that nodding her head, saying she understands and supports me is not actually helping. I need some concrete understanding of the nature of my condition, and not constant stress and the feeling that she is watching for every little mistake I make so she can clobber me.

I have a nasty suspicion that I am about to become a statistic - i.e. another disabled person who bites the dust because they become inconvenient in the work place.

I am tired and in pain most of the time and feeling like a leper. I am reaching the point of having had enough. There has to be more to life than this.

Any comments?

Thanks for the whine.

Masaka

dorcas

Hi Masaka,
I know just how you feel, but please don't give up! It does knock the stuffing out of you having to constantly battle with employers who lack understanding, compassion and worse of all do not know (or are ignoring) their legal obligations towards us under DDA.

I am in the midst of a work place fight myself and have been posting for a number of weeks on the ongoing saga.

Can I ask what assessments you've had by OH? have you involved Access to Work? what recommendations regarding 'reasonable adjustments' have they made? forgive me for asking if you've already been posting about this..

I have contacted the Equality and Human Rights Commission today as I am determined to use every available avenue open to me to exercise my rights under the law. My next step will be to see my MP (he initiated the DDA).

It is tiring, worrying, frustrating and stressful, but unless we keep challenging discrimination in the workplace it will keep happening!

So you keep on going...don't give in to the pressure being put on you by your boss; speak to someone higher up the tree or better still put it in writing what has been said to you so that their responses and actions are documented.

plenty of people on the forum will support you. iris x

masaka

Hi,

I had an Access to Work assessment, some of which was done. It's the constant snide comments that are getting me down, as is the total lack of understanding about how rough OA/RA makes you feel. This is a new head but the previous one was as bad if not worse, as was my line manager of the time. They gave me no support at all, and twisted and manipulated to make things as bad as posssible.

This head has been in place for 1 year and 1 term now. She told me today that she expected me to have sorted certain things out as I had had enough time. The fact that for the whole of last academic year I was in crippling pain or off having a THR, seems to eascape her. This year I came back on a phased re-introduction which I had to fight for, and was off for a couple of weeks having another little op which really wiped me out. I have had comments about moving in a chair when I had to sit in a too low chair for an hour and a half meeting, comments about her thinking my wheelchair was only a temporary measure. She has told me that I shouldn't be in work unles I am 100% fit. I will never be 100% fit given the disabilites I have got. So I am stuffed before I start. My job is a really stressful one anyway, which doesn't help. I will fight on via the union and other sources, but it is very wearisome when you know that somebody wants rid of you because you have no place in her brave new world. She wants somebody young, energetic and non disabled. I am flagging at the moment. She doesn't want to make any reasonable adjustments. She hadn't even realised that she had put me on a duty outside in the cold sitting in my wheelchair. I have endless meetings with her in which she constantly puts me down. I only want to do another couple of years, but stress = pain and I am a bit pained out at the moment, as are most of us.

Thanks for your support. There are too many of us being battered by these sort of people at the moment.

Masaka

dorcas wrote:

Hi Masaka,
I know just how you feel, but please don't give up! It does knock the stuffing out of you having to constantly battle with employers who lack understanding, compassion and worse of all do not know (or are ignoring) their legal obligations towards us under DDA.

I am in the midst of a work place fight myself and have been posting for a number of weeks on the ongoing saga.

Can I ask what assessments you've had by OH? have you involved Access to Work? what recommendations regarding 'reasonable adjustments' have they made? forgive me for asking if you've already been posting about this..

I have contacted the Equality and Human Rights Commission today as I am determined to use every available avenue open to me to exercise my rights under the law. My next step will be to see my MP (he initiated the DDA).

It is tiring, worrying, frustrating and stressful, but unless we keep challenging discrimination in the workplace it will keep happening!

So you keep on going...don't give in to the pressure being put on you by your boss; speak to someone higher up the tree or better still put it in writing what has been said to you so that their responses and actions are documented.

plenty of people on the forum will support you. iris x

dorcas

Your boss's attitude really stinks! and I'm pretty sure that what she is saying and doing to you breaches your rights and is a failure of the employer's 'duty of care' under DDA.

If 'reasonable adjustments' have been recommended thro the ATW assessment then your employer has to provide you with the necessary supports and adjustments. The alternative is to give you, in writing, the reasons (justify) why they consider it 'unreasonable' to make these adjustments...they are obliged by law to do this and you can then challenge their actions (or lack of action).

Suggest you look on the Equality and Human Rights website; there are various downloads available on your rights etc,... or do what I did and phone their helpline...I found them supportive and knowledgeable. It doesn't automatically mean that you are expected to take action against your employer, but they will certainly advise you if you do have a case of discrimination and what to do.

I know by the tone of your post that you are worn out by all of this......no wonder. I am so sorry you have been treated so unfairly and unjustly.':(' ':x'

When it comes to employers we all seem to skate on very thin ice!.

Hope too that your arther pain eases; makes it all the harder to cope when we have pain as well as such pressure and stress. Iris x

masaka

Hi,

Thanks for support. Feeling a bit more with it today in spite of the pain. My job defeats people who are well, so it is not suprising I am struggling. I think I will pass the whole thing over to the union (they are aware of the problems), and let them get on with it. The brutal reality is I am probably no longer really fit for the type of job I do. The pain of the Osteo I can fight, but the sheer unpredictabity and generally feeling rough that comes with the RA is a step too far.

Many Thanks,

Masaka

oneday

sorry to hear the rubbish youre going through and agree with other peeps comments, keep a diary of comments said and see the union.
Sit in staff room reading book on rights at work and acas literature,thats a joke but i like to leave stuff like that out on my desk!!

ritwren

Hi Masaka,
I see that you are having a pretty rough time. I think I've posted to you before. It's absolutely apalling the way you are being treated and cannot understand why the union have not picked up what's happening, or are they on your case at the moment.
You've had some great advice from Dorcas and as she says your workplace has obligations under the DDA to provide you with reasonal adjustments to your workplace. Your head of dept. saying you should be 100percent fit is not reasonable and I would remind her that you are'nt and won't be and she should not be talking to you in such terms. Document things she's saying to you and show them to the union and you may well have a case against her personally too.
That's a smashing idea by oneday to start reading certain leaflets etc....... will remind folk that you are not going to go quietly into this dark night. I know it's difficult and stressful and you are recovering from an op at the moment but at the end of the day if you want to work then your employer will have to sort this all out for you.
Do keep us posted and hang in there, I hope arthur settles down and you soon feel stronger very best of luck
rita