Thread: Arghhhh I work for people who don't understand illness.

I work for a major supermarket chain. I sit on the tills for 24hrs a week.

DS is 18 months and I have been sufering from depression on and off since having my daughter in 2002. Recently things have gotten a bit out of control and I have been having panic attaks about going anywhere where there are crowds and/or a lot of noise. Just doing the school run is causing me problems. Gp has signed me off work and I am attending councelling whilst taking AD's.

Had a lovely letter from work tuesday dated 5th April telling to respond within 48 hrs threatening all kinds of pleasant stuff. Took it to the GP with me, he has reissued the notes already supplied to work and signed me off for another 2 weeks. He advised I got a photo copy of the notes before handing them over to work as they seem determined to either not pay me and/or put me through the disciplinary process as my absence levels will be over 3 percent.

Duly photocopied the notes and physically handed them to someone in personnel with my sister holding my hand.

This morning I find a hand delivered letter dated 7th April on my mat inviting me to attend an investigatory hearing to see if I they agree that I have a valid reason for being off work and allegedly not following the absence procedure. I phoned and asked what was going on to be told not to worry it is standard procedure. I told them taht I am worried that it is causing me undue stress and anxiety. I also told them that I would be unable to attend on the time and date specified in their letter could they get someone to call me and clarify the situation and rearrange the meeting if necessary.


I know they are just trying to strong arm me. They did it back in 2004 when I had to spend time in hospital, when I came out they were on the phone twice a week to ask when I was going back. In the end my husband told them to stop calling or he would consider taking legal action as I was physically and emotionally unable to work at that time as I had had a miscarriage and ended up having an ERPC & laproscopy to check what was going on as my HCG levels were still rising rapidly.

So what do I do. Have been in tears over this and am wondering wehter to call my CPN and/or the CAB for some advice.

I work for a supermarket to and there just the same they don't care whats wrong with you wen i was pregnant I kept having bleeds, high blood pressure was signed off and they kept ringing me saying i have to go back otherwise i would't get mat pay (already qualified). They can't do anything as u have a doc's note!

the last thing you need right now are employers trying the strong arm with you. I feel for you.

If I were you I'd enrol the help of as many people as possible, you already have the doctor on board thankfully, I would certainly call the CAB and explain to them everything that's going on as they may well do the mediating between you and your employer for you; they're fab like that.

If necessary, I would probably get someone else to also call/write to your employers explaining that, at the moment, it would be virtually impossible for you to attend an interview given that you are very susceptible at the moment to panic attacks etc, and also keep a copy of the letter .... send it recorded delivery so they can't claim they didn't receive it.

Regarding the absence procedure and their claim it hasn't been followed correctly, it would be interesting to see where this has come from? Sounds to me like you've done everything as it should have been done regarding the doctor and medical notes etc. I would say they're probably trying to get out of making payments to you under the SSP codes.

Not sure if any of this advice would be of help to you.
Don't let them get to you; nothing is more important than your own health and yours and your family's wellbeing.

xx

Thanks hubby and mum are advising that I wait till tomorrow and see what they have to say.

Yeah so much for allways happy to help. If I send a letter they will insist on sending someone out to the house to see me and I am not sure if that would be better or worse. Either way I can't do it alone I am likely to go to pieces regardless.

It's just that they have phoned me every week to see how I am and ask when I will be returning to work. I assumed that this constituted as having weekly contact as requested in the handbook. They are trying to say that I should be calling them as well.

are you in a union? if so get in touchwith your union rep ASAP.

if not, get in touch with your union rep ASAP and join. when i joined the union, my membershaip was guaranteed the second i signed the forms, didnt even have to wait for payment to be cleared.

your union rep will go to the meeting with you.

ACAS is another that will be able to help. Shocking that employers think they can do this to people.

I know HD, it's untrue isn't it? I thought we'd moved on from the dark ages! Good point DL with the union
If they do decide to make a thing about the weekly contact then just say what you've said to us on here, you assumed that where your employers were contacting you (harrassing you!!) weekly that tihs would be construed as the contact that was required.
They can't really argue with that unless it's specifically written down that they contact you as well as you contact them, hence being twice weekly contact.

Do you work for asda! if you do you should have a union rep in store you don't have to be a member to speak to them! You can have someone in with you in the hearing! If you do work for asda the hearing they have that meeting with anyone on long term they can't do anything with a sick note it will take about 10mins!

Ahh but mummybean (I did wonder if the reference would be worked out) I have had problems with them before as mentioned in the OP and some of the people managers can be more zealous than others iyswim.

Yeah i know what you mean i'm a fellow employee! you get some that understand and some that just want to make a name for them self! I had this fight with them as long they looked into all my sick days to see if there was a patern (every pay friday off) looked at my docs note then just said ur genually ill gave me what they call counceling to see if any problems at work anything they can change when i return or anything they can do to make me return sooner! you can take someone in with you but i thinnk they have to work for them! i know they can be an arse! big hug to you!