General Chat

if someone is signed off on the sick from their job because of stress and is sacked because it has happened before do you think it makes them unemployable? Thanks for input Caz xxx

Will do Claire, Its my OH worried out of my mind for him Caz xxxx

Possibly - to a narrow minded and unsympathetic employer! If that's the case who would want to work for them anyway?? A good employer will know that stress is an illness that can affect anyone. I was signed off for 3 months - then I took redundancy - but with potential future employers I was open and honest about at it interview - didn't stop me getting my last 3 jobs :O))

I thought that there was a ruling that you cannot be sacked for being ill, but I could be wrong. Has he asked at the job centre, if this is legal? They would be the best people to advise him.

McAnne i tell him that but he feels he wouldnt be looked at by anyone, Carol he works for the prison service and is suffering constant threats , as he has been off twice before with stress cos of the pressure the CSA put on him and the pressure at work , they said they would look to sacking if he was signed off again Caz xxx

Thanks Joanne, I think the prison service are trying to scare him but he is listening to them not me Caz xxx

I'm sorry but you can be dismissed from certain jobs of you have been off sick. However, I presume the prison service have procedures they have to follow before they reach that stage. eg something like an oral warning and then a written warning. Has your husband spoken to his Human Resources department to get a better understanding how the procedures work and where he is in the process? xLesley

Hi Lesley, he hasnt, hes too scared to say anything as they have been quite heavy, he is putting up with daily threats and it is destroying him and then he brings it home, I want him out of there Caz xxx

He needs to speak to his line manager about the threats as they may support this absence if they realise that is work related stress. Has his line manager done a stress risk assessment with him? When you say heavy - do you mean the threats or his manager? Has his work given him any written warnings ie letters/meetings about his absence ie how much they expect his absence to improve over the next 6 months etc. Is he a member of the Trade union? Has he spoken to his trade union rep about this? Do the prison service have an occupational health service and has he been referred to them? Have they got a support mechanism in place such as being able to ring someone independent to talk to about his problems?

Don't know much about the prison service, but have a friend in a similar position workwise with regard to having been signed off several times with RSI. Very stressful for you both. Do try and get the Union Rep involved and perhaps go to citizens advice for the legal side, Best of luck Rosexx

I'm sorry Caz, is your husband still signed off sick? Has been off sick long term (they can still sack him if he's been off for a long period) however, again there are procedures to follow.

Caz, Do you think they are taking into account the stress he was under in Iraq? So many of our military personnel are suffering when they come home and not getting the proper treatment because we no longer have military hospitals. the stress of the last six months added to the normal pressure of work is bound to affect him. Can he talk to anyone in the TA about it? I feel sure that, if it is his line manager that is telling him this then he should ask to speak to either HR or a welfare officer (I am sure they must have one) because this person is only causing more stress. There must be procedures in place and it would not look good for the prison service if he were to bring a constructive dismissal case when he has just returned from iraq. Does he belong to a union? Ann Glos

Claire, Ann, lesley I am just digesting your replies and am so very grateful, I need to show him, we as the family get the back lash of it all, When he was in iraq with the TA he was less stressed, mad or what? Your replies are so helpful and tommorow { he is out at the TA now} I am going to go throught them with him, i feel he is scared stiff as the main wage earner and doesnt know which way to turn Thanks my friends, caz xxx

Caz No-one who is prepared to work should be unemployable, no matter what their circumstances are. I don't know what the work situation is where you live but it seems to me that the best solution is for him to try and find another job and get out of the prison service. Doing a job that makes you ill is no good to nobody and I can speak from experience as I went through that situation myself. Please give him my best wishes and I hope he has some luck coming his way. Jeff xx

Ann many thanks, if the situation continues we will all go down with stress, it is so hard to live in the pressure, jeff you are right, I told him tonight ' you only live once' You lot help when things are tough Caz xxxx

Ann is right, please ask him to jot everything down and ask him to keep all the documentation. Also, ask him to jot down what he has told them and when (if he can remember the dates) If the worse comes to the worse, it may be useful in an employment tribunal but hopefully it won't come to that. I think he/you need to act now so it doesn't come to that. I may be wrong but in my opinion he needs to talk to someone else about this as well eg a TU rep? A manager? Occupational Health? Welfare organisation? His doctor? Talking about it to someone may relieve some of his stress and they may help come up with other solutions that he may not have thought about.

have to get kids to bed, but you have helped me more tha can say, battle stress and prison stress very bad combo, Love to you all caz xxx

I forgot to say Caz, some organisations have Welfare services where employees and their partners can ring up and talk if they are stressed or have problems. There may be a support service in place for you. You must be pretty stressed about this and need to talk to someone too,

Take care Caz and I hope your OH (Graham?) is feeling much better soon.

I think sometimes its the company you work for. Sainsburys have been bloody marvelous where I have been concerned. I have had a bad 6 years first with the time off I took because of pneumonia then all the panic/anxiety attacks I have had since. Now add to that the op's I have had on my feet (toe nails) . I know the meeting I have soon will decide my future with the company . But I will say they have been great