Work discrimination

[John P Waddington]

Been ‘managed out’ of my job in the guise of then caring about my wellbeing due to their ‘concerns’ about my diabetes. They want me to prove I don’t have hypos. They think a type 1 diabetic can provide evidence of not having hypos and hyperglycaemia for 6 months. In the meantime I have been transferred to head office to do data entry. I will lose the opportunity to do overtime and I will lose the benefit of school holidays so won’t be able to see my children very often.

 

[MrDaibetes]

Been ‘managed out’ of my job in the guise of then caring about my wellbeing due to their ‘concerns’ about my diabetes. They want me to prove I don’t have hypos. They think a type 1 diabetic can provide evidence of not having hypos and hyperglycaemia for 6 months. In the meantime I have been transferred to head office to do data entry. I will lose the opportunity to do overtime and I will lose the benefit of school holidays so won’t be able to see my children very often.

Hey, welcome to the forum. What job were you doing before being moved to head office? Are you part of a union that can challenge this decision for you?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear of your experiences @John P Waddington

As I understand it employers have a legal responsibility to make reasonable adjustments to support employees living with a disability.

How do you currently manage your diabetes, and how do you feel it impacts on your working life. What could your employer do to support you better? Are there any differences in insulin therapy or technology that you could use to improve any challenges you are experiencing with your diabetes management?

Have you considered contacting Citizen’s Advice Bureau or the Diabetes UK helpline?

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/how_we_help/helpline

 

[trophywench]

Er, for what purpose does an employer need to have proof that you don't go hyper or hypo?

Frankly if that's not discrimination then that thing doesn't exist. Ring the Helpline asap.

 

[SB2015]

I wouldn’t get through a week without any hypo or hyper incidents, and my control is considered by the consultant as ‘gold star’. That is rediculous. What job are you doing that would be impacted by these?

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I wouldn’t get through a week without any hypo or hyper incidents, and my control is considered by the consultant as ‘gold star’.

Yes, they'd better have a good reason for such unreasonable requirements. One day that might really be feasible, but that'll most likely require an automated pancreas (and then the question will just be whether you're using it and keeping it fed with power, insulin, glycogen).

 

[stephknits]

Hi John, as you and any Type 1 knows, this is impossible. Your employer cannot demand the impossible and is therefore discriminating. The diabetes UK helpline should be able to provide you with support to challenge this. Do let us know how you get on.
Managing type 1 is tedious enough without having to go through this sort of rubbish! Good luck

 

[Bruce Stephens]

They might mean no hypos requiring help from another person, and no hypers requiring a hospital stay. I guess. Something like that. I could imagine those being defensible, just.

 

[novorapidboi26]

An insulin dependent diabetic is always going to have highs and lows, and thats OK, as there is no job that would insist you don't have these events........and if there was, no type one would be doing it....

lets hear some more detail about the predicament...

 

[Deleted member 25429]

I think sometimes decisions like this are made because people are ignorant. I didn’t know anything about type 1 diabetes before I was diagnosed. I was lucky my manager read all the information he could , and educated the others around me . Maybe your company needs to educate themselves . It is a battle as diabetics we don’t need , we have enough to deal with day to day trying to manage such a complicated condition . Good luck

 

[John P Waddington]

Hey, welcome to the forum. What job were you doing before being moved to head office? Are you part of a union that can challenge this decision for you?

I work in a college for young adults with autism. Learning Support Assistant.

 

[John P Waddington]

Sorry to hear of your experiences @John P Waddington

As I understand it employers have a legal responsibility to make reasonable adjustments to support employees living with a disability.

How do you currently manage your diabetes, and how do you feel it impacts on your working life. What could your employer do to support you better? Are there any differences in insulin therapy or technology that you could use to improve any challenges you are experiencing with your diabetes management?

Have you considered contacting Citizen’s Advice Bureau or the Diabetes UK helpline?

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/how_we_help/helpline

Contacted the union and Diabetes UK this morning. They will get back to me. I’m being treated like I have done something wrong by the management - this is really difficult to understand as I really loved my job. I had one episode involving a hypo that I dealt with, another time I had a morning off because I had a hypo in the middle of the night and an episode after the students had gone home where I went to the toilet to be sick as my blood glucose was really high. Also I’d been doing loads of overtime and I was feeling exhausted.

 

[Jodee]

I work in a college for young adults with autism. Learning Support Assistant.

I would think therein is the reason John. If for instance you did have uncontrolled hypo's when on your own on a one to one or even with another support worker employee with a group of special needs autistic young adults it could cause both problems for you and the young adults who may not know what to do and any person with you would then not only have to address what is happening with you but also be responsible for the special needs autistic young adults single handedly. Its just safe guarding everyone is probably what they are trying to achieve. I can understand this having worked with special needs and a autistic young adult.

 

[John P Waddington]

I would think therein is the reason John. If for instance you did have uncontrolled hypo's when on your own on a one to one or even with another support worker employee with a group of special needs autistic young adults it could cause both problems for you and the young adults who may not know what to do and any person with you would then not only have to address what is happening with you but also be responsible for the special needs autistic young adults single handedly. Its just safe guarding everyone is probably what they are trying to achieve. I can understand this having worked with special needs and a autistic young adult.

I don’t have nor did I have uncontrollable hypos. I dealt with the hypo with Glucose tablets.

 

[Jodee]

I don’t have nor did I have uncontrollable hypos. I dealt with the hypo with Glucose tablets.

I would say they would need proof of that for the safety of all concerned. As an employee they would be held responsible which is why they need to show that all concerned were safe, they wouldn't be able to leave it to chance not having monitored the situation. I know its not what you want to hear, but honestly I don't think you are being discriminated against, the employer just wants to be responsible in making sure your charges in the work situation are safe, they are required to do so by law.

 

[John P Waddington]

How do you prove that? Apart from the fact I was ok and able to continue working for the rest of the day.

 

[Robin]

How do you prove that?

An 'uncontrollable hypo' normally requires the intervention of a third party, if you treated it yourself, I’d say that proved it wasn’t uncontrollable!
Whilst I take Jodee's point about the safety of the young adults in question, it seems to me that by immediately sidelining you into a job that has totally different hours and work patterns, your employers have not taken steps to make 'reasonable adjustments' in order for you to carry out your job, and as Diabetes is treated as a disability, they should do. I hope you get some good advice and support from Diabetes Uk and your union.

 

[Jodee]

How do you prove that? Apart from the fact I was ok and able to continue working for the rest of the day.

Probably by recording details each time it occurs date time, what you ate, last time you ate, what action you took and time you took to recover and able to continue doing every day tasks, works etc. Perhaps speak with your diabetes nurse clinic too to back up information for your employer.

Best wishes John

 

[stephknits]

As part of my job, I work with special needs groups and have never had to prove anything of the sort.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Contacted the union and Diabetes UK this morning. They will get back to me. I’m being treated like I have done something wrong by the management - this is really difficult to understand as I really loved my job. I had one episode involving a hypo that I dealt with, another time I had a morning off because I had a hypo in the middle of the night and an episode after the students had gone home where I went to the toilet to be sick as my blood glucose was really high. Also I’d been doing loads of overtime and I was feeling exhausted.

From your description, it certainly doesn't sound like your diabetes has adversely impacted your ability to do your job any more than a person occasionally having a sickness bug or whatever.

Really hope the union and DUK can offer practical and effective support through this difficult time, and that you speedily get a successful resolution.