I went to see an occupational health doctor yesterday - a few years ago, this was an in-house function of my company, but it's now been 'outsourced' to BUPA - and after that assessment and another chat with my manager this morning, I'm deemed to be sufficiently recovered to go back to my job. I can't say I'm overly thrilled to be heading back, but at least I've got a stay of execution for another couple of weeks, because I'm due to be on annual leave once my doctor's certificate runs out this weekend, so it will be somewhere around June 2 when I actually get my nose back to the grindstone. The only thing that worries me about the situation is what happens if I'm embroiled in another scenario like the one that led me to being sick this time round - I have no ambition whatever to leave work in an ambulance, or even handcuffs if I lose my cool completely. I guess I'll have to practise counting to 10, or 110.
Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B
Hi there, Sammy
ReplyDeleteI'm reasonably confident that, under UK health and safety law, your employer has a responsibility to avoid putting you in situations that might damage your health. I think putting someone with a known heart condition in a stressful situation ought to qualify in this respect. I think also that a similar argument applies, at least morally, if there's any probability of your receiving police attention as a result of your work. Overall it sounds to me as if your employer needs to think a lot harder about their security arrangements.
I'd suggest that you talk to Citizens Advice about what your employer can and can't do to you. It might also be worth looking into union representation in your workplace, and seeing whether there might be any advantages in joining one.
Take care
Mark
Hello Mark
ReplyDeleteI probably made it sound as though I'm going back to work under duress, but it's not quite that bad. I would, in an ideal world, rather not go back to my current post, but I can't afford to be on long-term sickness and there isn't anything else within sensible commuting distance of home at the moment. If a similar situation arises again and I don't get any help from the company, I might well take advice from CAB or even legal advice around 'constructive dismissal'. I'll just have to see what develops next month.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B