worried about work

carol71
carol71 Member Posts: 131
Hi, I'm newly diagnosed with arthritis in my neck and have had quite a bit of time off work the last few months but for other things.
Although looking back it could well all be linked iykwim.

Firstly I was off work with dizzy spells for 2 wks. Dr thought it was vertigo.

Then my mum went into hospital and while there caught pnemonia. The week after mum got out my sis had a breakdown and is still in hospital now. I took on the care of my nephew but found it too much so had to give him up.

I'd also had a few wks off due to depression as I was being bullied at work and it wasn't being delt with even though I'd put in a formal complaint.

I went back to work and was moved areas then I ended up having dizzy spells again and so here I am now off work with what the doc thought was vertigo again.

However due to the pains in my neck and arms I was sent for xrays which showed I have arthritis.

Now my predicament. Do I tell my boss?

It's going to make it difficult to do my job. I stack shelves in a large supermarket. Lots of heavy lifting, which at the moment is a problem cos I can't lift my arms more than a few inches from my side without suffering pain.

When I was off before with my mum & sister I was advised to use my holidays. I don't seem to get sick pay. I only work 14 hrs a week doing 2 nights 11pm-7am over the weekend.

I only started the job last October after taking a 7 yr break from employment to be a stay at home mum.

We can't manage without my wage, we've just lost tax credits due to my wage, but i'm not getting it now.

I took on this job cos the hours suited and fitted in with childcare.
My eldest child has Aspergers syndrome and his behaviour can be very challenging.

Anyone have any wise words or advice on what I should do?

I am expecting another phone call from my boss tonight as I'm off yet again. He rang last week checking why I wasn't in even though I'd sent in a sick note.

Carol xxx

Comments

  • smillajasperson
    smillajasperson Member Posts: 37
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carol :)

    I'm in a different situation because I'm self-employed now, but I'm pretty sure if you've had your diagnosis since you've been employed they now have to help you under the Disability Discrimination Act by making any adjustments necessary to enable you to stay in your job - even if it means finding you another role that you are capable of. You would need to check that it doesn't only apply to people working longer hours or had been in the job for a longer period of time - but I wouldn't have thought that was the case. I expect someone will be along soon who has more knowledge of this than me and can advise you - or you could look it up on the DDA website.
    If you don't tell them about your disability then nothing can be done can it - and your work will become even more difficult and your health suffer until you may not have the choice of staying or going? I do sympathise as you obviously want to work, but I'm not sure this type of job is ideal for you! I gave up my last job because I couldn't cope with all the lifting and carrying - I now know if I'd stayed put they'd have had to help me under the DDA, but I didn't know this at the time. If I wanted to go back to being employed again I would have to tell any prospective employers about my disability or they wouldn't be liable to help me if my OA started to cause problems with my work if I had concealed it.
    My son also has Asperger's but he's 27 now and against all expectations he lives independantly - something I never thought could possibly happen in a million years! I do hope you are getting some help and support with your son - I never knew it was available til mine was an adult, so struggled on for years on my own. :roll:

    Smillajasperson x
  • carol71
    carol71 Member Posts: 131
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I had to go into work earlier as a customer and while queing at the tills the personel officer was on the shop floor and came over to me and asked how I was and would I be going back to work soon.
    I was a bit taken aback and ended up saying I wasn't fine, that I had had my xray results back and that I had arthritis. Her respose to that was 'oh don't we all' so it wasn't vertigo as your sick note says.
    I said that when I got my sick notes I hadn't got the xray results back and that the vertigo symptoms i'd been suffering were probably tied in with my neck pain anyway.

    I'm off to the doctors on tuesday to find out exactly what the xrays showed and what it all means as I'm not exactly sure as yet.

    Thanks for your replies and support
    Carol xxx
  • smillajasperson
    smillajasperson Member Posts: 37
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Don't you be put up with some snotty personel officer saying 'Oh don't we all!' to your telling them about your arthritis! Every Tom, Dick or Harry think they know all about arthritis because they have the odd ache and pain but no diagnosis themselves! They have absolutely no idea what 'real' arthritis is all about - because they DON'T have it! It makes my blood boil all these so-called experts think that because their dear old gran complains of it and is a bit slow on her pins that they have 1st hand experience of it and you are complaining about nothing! Even my best friend who has seen me at my absolute worst does this and makes me feel I'm exaggerating or even making up my disability because she gets a 'bit of an ache in her shoulder' if she does too much gardening! Grrhhh!!
    I hope you have a more sympathetic doctor than my 1st one who very much played down my xray results and didn't even give me the correct diagnosis - it was only when I saw another lovely doctor at my practice who read out my true results that I realised the extent of my OA and she has refered me for an MRI scan and to the pain clinic - I know which doctor I shall be seeing in future!
    I know times are hard and jobs are difficult to come by but I'd start casting my eye round for a more suitable job now my love - even if they do become more sympathetic following your doctors report, there might be something lighter and that would bump your hours up another 2 to the required 16 per week to get back on Working Tax Credit. Surely you can't manage without WTC - I know we couldn't?!
    Smillajasperson x
  • carol71
    carol71 Member Posts: 131
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks again.
    Have decided to try not to worry about work at least until I know more about whats going on with my arthur.
    Once I know I shall inform work so they know and we can make plans together how we can work things out.
    I think I actually got paid something as there was a wage sized sum in my bank account when I went yesterday.
    Will know more when my statement comes next week.

    Carol xxx
  • valval
    valval Member Posts: 14,911
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    u should get some thing if u paying national insurance . dont let any one bully u into leaving get in touch with the help team here when u know what is what doc will be more help now u have your xray sorted :):) . good luck have heard the we all have ache and pains lol lol would like to swap with them for couple hours
    val
  • heather1
    heather1 Member Posts: 75
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carol

    I work in a supermarket too and find it very difficult to do all the bending and lifting that is necessary to do my job.

    I do have avery understanding boss and if i am having a real bad day i just tell him and he puts me on the lighter duties and gets someone else to do the heavier work.

    They knew i had problems when i first started the job but the HR manager can be real funny if i have time off.

    Is it possible you can move to a department that has lighter duties?
  • ziggie
    ziggie Member Posts: 2
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    heather1 wrote:
    Hi Carol

    I work in a supermarket too and find it very difficult to do all the bending and lifting that is necessary to do my job.

    I do have avery understanding boss and if i am having a real bad day i just tell him and he puts me on the lighter duties and gets someone else to do the heavier work.

    They knew i had problems when i first started the job but the HR manager can be real funny if i have time off.

    Is it possible you can move to a department that has lighter duties?

    hi
    My name is sue and i have RA and Fibomyagia. I have had RA for seven months i was told 6 days before xmas, i have had FIBO for the past 4 years. I work in a Nursing Home i also have problems lifting and bending but my manager has helped in the early months he brought me a key lever and changed the plugs to make it easy for me to grip. But at the moment he has gone off sick, my neck and back are killing me and my main job is working in the Laundry lifting wet washing into the dryer is a killer. I just dont no what to do because if i tell them i cant do the laundry any more can they sack me, because i don't no if i am covered by the Disability Discrimination Act.
  • eckstardeluxe
    eckstardeluxe Member Posts: 1,192
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Yes you should tell your Employer you have a disability but you do not have to tell them what this is. The reason you should tell them is so they can have you assessed under the DDA to see what 'reasonable adjustments' can be made such as lowering your workload or changing your hours to suit.

    It may be under the DDA the OH might decide to take an average of absence meaning due to your disability, they can discount so many days you have taken off due to this in your sick leave. If you didn't tell your Employer then hurt yourself for instance it would look bad for you not them, best to check ACAS's site for guidance, lots of useful info there.

    Why did your tax credits stop or go down? Did your income increase alot? Check your wageslips, see what total pay to date is and work out over the next 29 weeks left in the tax year what you are likely to earn, it might be due to your sick leave you have overestimated your income. You can call tax credits for a calculation without them changing anything to try and see what would suit you.
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, Occy health recommended ill health retirement, as I have OA in my neck, hands, and hips. I was a care assistant working for the council and he also refused to recommend re-deployment, as he thought my neck would be a problem. For me, that releases my pension, but its only a small sum. For ESA I think you have to have been working over 16 hours to claim it on contrbutions, but if your partner is not earn enough, not sure of the sum and you have less than a I think sixteen thousand, but that may be wrong savings they will pay you esa, if you qualify medically. Its all got soooo complicated, even though I've just been through all this, I'm still not able to remember it all! :) Hopefully you'll get sorted soon. Do try CAB they will help you. Love Sue