Poor attendance but need to visit doc

petals
petals Member Posts: 217
Evening all,

I am in a bit of a dilemma,

I have recently recieved a verbal warning at work following an absence of 2 weeks due to a flare up of my RA and a kidney infection. Now 3 weeks later I am experiencing a really bad pain in my back, it is just near the bottom of my right shoulder blade.
It hurts more when I breath in, I should add that I do not have a cough.

I know that MTX can affect your lungs and I am worried that this may be the cause of my pain. Then again it could just as easily be a pulled muscle or something just as innocent.

So my dilemma, do I risk further time off work to visit the Doctor or do I keep working and hope it rights its self.

Thanks everyone

Petals

Comments

  • mellman01
    mellman01 Member Posts: 5,306
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Good advice del, also do they have a union at work and if so are you in it?, if they do and your not a member then join it.
  • petals
    petals Member Posts: 217
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks Mellman and Delboy,

    Yes i am in USDAW and I took my union rep into my disiplinary hearing and still I was given an verbal warning. I explained to them that my arthritis had flared up and I was in pain and then I developed a kidney infection alongside the RH and was in bed for 2 weeks.

    I also explained about my Methotrexate, and how it lowers your immune system which means you pick up bugs much more easily than normal, so you could say that my kidney problem was also arthritis related.

    My doctors sick note at the time stated Rheumatoid arthritis/Urinary tract infection.

    I was under the impression that anything conected to my RH was covered by the DDA. However, the manager said although she sympathised with my circumstances she felt it necessary to give me the warning.

    I was a bit miffed at the time but now I see the seriousness of this as I feel unable to visit the Docs for fear of getting a writtern warning next time. :sad:
  • Emily
    Emily Member Posts: 124
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    petals wrote:
    Thanks Mellman and Delboy,

    Yes i am in USDAW and I took my union rep into my disiplinary hearing and still I was given an verbal warning. I explained to them that my arthritis had flared up and I was in pain and then I developed a kidney infection alongside the RH and was in bed for 2 weeks.

    I also explained about my Methotrexate, and how it lowers your immune system which means you pick up bugs much more easily than normal, so you could say that my kidney problem was also arthritis related.

    My doctors sick note at the time stated Rheumatoid arthritis/Urinary tract infection.

    I was under the impression that anything conected to my RH was covered by the DDA. However, the manager said although she sympathised with my circumstances she felt it necessary to give me the warning.

    I was a bit miffed at the time but now I see the seriousness of this as I feel unable to visit the Docs for fear of getting a writtern warning next time. :sad:

    Obviously it depends on the union, but I have been with USDAW and when I put in a grievance to my employer they were worse than useless.
    The rep knew the HR manager and they went way back. So that did not bode well for me. Employer kept doing the same things with impunity.

    Changed union and went to GMB and it was just the same. My GP said that I should be rotated every hour for a 3 months but the rep I had with me said that was not good for the business and said it should be every 2 hours also he was with the employer all the way. Also it was the union fault that I was taken out of late nights, I think at that meeting the employer had sympathy for me with such bad rep being with me and he was from the Head Office. It would have been far better off being on my own. No more unions for me.

    I was also told by union that they will not give legal help unless the case is more than 70% of winning. What good are unions, they will let discrimination continue with impunity if it helps employer.
  • Emily
    Emily Member Posts: 124
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Also check your home contents insurance to see if you got legal cover for advice. Also Which has a good scheme going for employment advice but they charge for it check it out and see, I have joined them for advice and paid a little bit more for email advice.

    Have you been to the company Occupational Health if not ask you company to do so, and if they are willing then ask to see the referral form and to see the results from them.

    You can get Access to Work involved as well. They will make recommendation for you and your employer will be obliged to carry their recommendation out. But mind was not too willing. I expect you work for a supermarket and they are feeling the pinch at present and the greedy owners do not like to see their profit going down.

    Best of Luck


    Best of luck