Overcaring

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Druentia

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi All
Just over 2 years ago, I had a low sugars episode at my school, it was dealt with badly. Since then the school has upped it's game, and I am now getting more care than I feel, I actually need, My boss has just produced a paper, showing staff my weaknesses and how they can help, if I am found in a hypo situation. It is also required that I sign this, although I believe it is over the top, and I do not want staff to think, that I could collapse at any time. Last week, I had an occupational Health consultation, where I told the consultant that the school was not allowing me to work alone because of the fear of collapse. He asked me these questions. Have you passed out at work because of your condition, in the last six months? Answer, no. Have you needed attention for a low sugar situation? Answer, no. Has your mobility been an issue? No. He told me, your school should not have any concerns about your working alone. Can any of you guys give advise on this. It seems pretty clear to me. I have a condition that is debilitating, currently I am managing as well as I can, and I am not at the stage where I could be considered at risk.
 
This feels like it is not care for you they are concerned about, but their own liability. It also feels completely excessive. Have you tried speaking to your boss about how they are making you feel? I also think s/he needs to be careful about telling everybody about your diabetes - you are allowed some level of medical privacy.

Legally I have no idea this is just opinion; but if it was me I would start by speaking to my boss (or HR, and remember HR is not your friend). I would explain that while you understand the route they have have taken they are now making you feel very uncomfortable in your working environment, and it is having a negative impact on your performance. You are feeling embarrassed by your boss unilaterally decided to tell the entire school about your condition. While you have no problem that co-workers are asked to have an understanding as to how to react to a whole range of issues including hypos, that they have singled you out to discuss with the entire workforce feels like a deliberate attempt to target you alone. I would also explain that you have got an expert independent and medical opinion of your current situation. Also I would not be signing anything.

I would also get proper legal advice - from your union if you have one, CAB, ACAS or a specialist solicitor.
 
Just to a link from this site - Diabetes UK. Employment Rights . This might be a good starting point

You were also given a lot of advice and links in your previous thread - did any of those help you?
 
Kopiert said:
This feels like it is not care for you they are concerned about, but their own liability. It also feels completely excessive. Have you tried speaking to your boss about how they are making you feel? I also think s/he needs to be careful about telling everybody about your diabetes - you are allowed some level of medical privacy.

Legally I have no idea this is just opinion; but if it was me I would start by speaking to my boss (or HR, and remember HR is not your friend). I would explain that while you appreciate and understand the route they have have taken they are now making you feel very uncomfortable in your working environment, and it is having a negative impact on your performance. You are feeling embarrassed by your boss unilaterally decided to tell the entire school about your condition. While you have no problem that co-workers are asked to have an understanding as to how to react to a whole range of issues including hypos, that they have singled you out to discuss with the entire workforce feels like a deliberate attempt to target you alone. I would also explain that you have got an expert independent and medical opinion of your current situation. Also I would not be signing anything.

I would also get proper legal advice - from your union if you have one, CAB, ACAS or a specialist solicitor.
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Thank you, so much, for replying, I have been awake for most of the night, worrying about this. I have to tell you, that I was taken on as the Assistant Site Manager, and the school has tried to deny this, until I produced a copy of my contract. Even then, the fairly new Head of operations told me that the contract was many years old and things had changed. She does now confirm me in my position, because of the union, but nothing has changed regarding my treatment. My union has told the school that they are bordering on breaching of the 2010 Discrimination Act, and that if I am not given back my old resposibilities, they will be forced to take legal advice. Can I tell you, there is nothing in my file to say I have ever been negligent in my job, and I am forced to think, that this is about ageism. They are now trying to say I have mental health problems, Because of the amount of emails I have been sending, I have sent many of them as a manager, and been told that they can't respond because it wouldn't be ethical. Basically because they do not acknowledge me in my position. I will not back down, and I will see it through to the end. I am old, but that doesn't apply if you are still able to do the job.
 
Hi @Druentia and welcome to the forum. You are not old. I worked into my 70's, albeit in my own business, until I decided that anno domini was catching up with me and I could no longer put up with the hassle!

You say you had a low sugars episode. What happened? I ask because unless you are taking medications that promote insulin production, or on insulin therapy, the chances of that happening are extremely low. Was the episode confirmed by blood glucose measurement at the time? If reaction to this episode is at the bottom of what is going on then it seems to me a good idea to make sure that the interpretation of what happened is correct.
 
My union has told the school that they are bordering on breaching of the 2010 Discrimination Act, and that if I am not given back my old resposibilities, they will be forced to take legal advice.

If they’re continuing to bully you like this (and yes, it does sound like a kind of bullying), then I’d send them the union’s advice one more time, along with a very brief email/letter from you telling them you’ll be pursuing the legal route unless they *insert what reasonable things you want them to do*. You could also refer to the Occupational Health interview.

Basically - get some legal advice and, if necessary a legal letter threatening further action.
 
The incident happened in October of 2019, and the fault was entirely my own. I admit to not taking proper care of myself, and I had not tested before leaving home. I did not deny it, and since then I have tightened up my act. But, in the over twenty years of being a diabetic, that has been the only occasion I have needed assistance. It is also over two years ago, and I am testing and looking after myself, and not at a stage of debilitation, where I just pass out or I am not able to tell that I may need to test. I think everything is under control and my school is going to have to accept that. Thank you for your response..
 
If you haven’t already, make a list of what you’re doing to stop any further hypos. Also, make a chronological list of what’s been happening with your employer. List everything eg the contract dispute. I suspect they’ll give in if you push this further, but they’re hoping you’ll just give up and go away. Be succinct, be calm, be firm.
 
Inka said:
My union has told the school that they are bordering on breaching of the 2010 Discrimination Act, and that if I am not given back my old resposibilities, they will be forced to take legal advice.

If they’re continuing to bully you like this (and yes, it does sound like a kind of bullying), then I’d send them the union’s advice one more time, along with a very brief email/letter from you telling them you’ll be pursuing the legal route unless they *insert what reasonable things you want them to do*. You could also refer to the Occupational Health interview.

Basically - get some legal advice and, if necessary a legal letter threatening further action.
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Now I have had my occupational health review, hopefully the report wont take too long to come through, and there will be more to go on. I just want to do my job, I am not looking to make waves. I am happy doing a 5 hour a day slot, and I have told my head, who is a dear, that when the time comes, I will come and tell her that I will be moving on. But my other managers are going to have to be patient, and bide their time.
 
Inka said:
If you haven’t already, make a list of what you’re doing to stop any further hypos. Also, make a chronological list of what’s been happening with your employer. List everything eg the contract dispute. I suspect they’ll give in if you push this further, but they’re hoping you’ll just give up and go away. Be succinct, be calm, be firm.
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I am confident at work, and not in fear of a hypo, I test regularly, and I don't feel the need for colleagues to worry over me, I think my managers are going to have to back down, as I can see no profit in this for them. Thank you for your advice. I am looking forward to just talking about Diabetes on this site. I think I am coming up thirty years now, I remember a man in the 90's in the local paper. He had been on insulin for 50 years. He remembered the days when needles were reused, and he had to wait for new ones, and had to use blunted needles until they arrived. We are fortunate.
 
I think you are referring to the 2010 Equalities act. Age is definitely protected - but there are exceptions. It *maybe* that your diabetes is also classified as a disability but much harder to prove from what I have read.

Here is what I think they are doing. There is a huge loophole in the 2010 Equalities Act that refers specifically to Age discrimination - it refers to Objective Justification. That means that they can use things such as health and safety to circumvent discrimination. What the letter for you to sign and the telling everybody how to deal with a hypo is part of building a case against you

I think you need to decide what it is you want to happen. This is really important - your union solicitors will need to be instructed they need to know what action to take.

So decide as a result of taking action what is it you want:
Do you want you old job back?
Do you want a pay out?
Do you just want to be left alone?
Etc....

I am not sure what "bordering on breaching means" it is a simple shot across the bows and actually pretty meaningless. From reading your other posts it would seem they have ignored this implied threat. I would insist that your union starts preceding against them with a clear objective as to what you want.

In your previous threads @Josh DUK said he would open an advocacy case for you and @everydayupsanddowns suggested you to call the help. Did you do this - you should do if you have not done so.
 
Kopiert said:
I think you are referring to the 2010 Equalities act. Age is definitely protected - but there are exceptions. It *maybe* that your diabetes is also classified as a disability but much harder to prove from what I have read.

Here is what I think they are doing. There is a huge loophole in the 2010 Equalities Act that refers specifically to Age discrimination - it refers to Objective Justification. That means that they can use things such as health and safety to circumvent discrimination. What the letter for you to sign and the telling everybody how to deal with a hypo is part of building a case against you

I think you need to decide what it is you want to happen. This is really important - your union solicitors will need to be instructed they need to know what action to take.

So decide as a result of taking action what is it you want:
Do you want you old job back?
Do you want a pay out?
Do you just want to be left alone?
Etc....

I am not sure what "bordering on breaching means" it is a simple shot across the bows and actually pretty meaningless. From reading your other posts it would seem they have ignored this implied threat. I would insist that your union starts preceding against them with a clear objective as to what you want.

In your previous threads @Josh DUK said he would open an advocacy case for you and @everydayupsanddowns suggested you to call the help. Did you do this - you should do if you have not done so.
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Thank you. I am trying to keep focussed, but I am in a different world here. I have asked for help, and your emails are very profesional. I also have GMB on the scheme, and I believe they have done well for me. I have not done anything regarding your two suggestions, I will ring the number tomorrow, but as for a case being opened up for me. Would this upset my union? I want as much help as I can, but I do not want to be disloyal. This leaves me in a quandary.
 
Druentia said:
Thank you. I am trying to keep focussed, but I am in a different world here. I have asked for help, and your emails are very profesional. I also have GMB on the scheme, and I believe they have done well for me. I have not done anything regarding your two suggestions, I will ring the number tomorrow, but as for a case being opened up for me. Would this upset my union? I want as much help as I can, but I do not want to be disloyal. This leaves me in a quandary.
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Sorry, I didn't reply to all the questions. I don't want a payoff, but I do want my job back, as it was before and I won't accept anything less. It's not about money. It never has been. I've given so much time to them over the years. I love the school, and most of the staff. I've always helped them and they're with me on this. But, they have to be careful, it doesn't pay to be too outspoken. But, when a few months ago, there was an alleged anonymous phone call to say I had been intoxicated one evening, the staff were battering the head's door down to say it wasn't true. I'm teetotal by the way.
 
Druentia said:
Thank you. I am trying to keep focussed, but I am in a different world here. I have asked for help, and your emails are very profesional. I also have GMB on the scheme, and I believe they have done well for me. I have not done anything regarding your two suggestions, I will ring the number tomorrow, but as for a case being opened up for me. Would this upset my union? I want as much help as I can, but I do not want to be disloyal. This leaves me in a quandary.
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I have been in your type of position before - and it is horrible. But that is also why I might come across as a bit tough. In my case I was in the "this-is-so-unfair", and "I-just-want-this-to-stop" frame of mind. The best advice I had was to decide what I wanted to get out of the situation. Once you have direction and take some control it became much easier.

It is good that you are talking to your union - just give them a kick up the bum. You can also talk to Diabetes UK just to get an expert opinion, you can ask them how they would deal with the union. They might just be a really good listener, so you can get some stuff off your chest. They maybe open today, and you dont have to go further with them, it might just make you feel better.

Good luck.
 
Druentia said:
, but I do want my job back, as it was before and I won't accept anything less. It's not about money. It never has been.
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You have you first answer. Brilliant.
Now go and tell your Union that is the outcome you want. 🙂🙂
 
Kopiert said:
I have been in your type of position before - and it is horrible. But that is also why I might come across as a bit tough. In my case I was in the "this-is-so-unfair", and "I-just-want-this-to-stop" frame of mind. The best advice I had was to decide what I wanted to get out of the situation. Once you have direction and take some control it became much easier.

It is good that you are talking to your union - just give them a kick up the bum. You can also talk to Diabetes UK just to get an expert opinion, you can ask them how they would deal with the union. They might just be a really good listener, so you can get some stuff off your chest. They maybe open today, and you dont have to go further with them, it might just make you feel better.

Good luck.
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I'm ex job, that's police to you. I understand tough, and your advice makes sense, and I really appreciate it. I have the day to mull this over and I will be on the phone in the morning. My union rep, is tough, she's put the school through the grinder. They really want me to sign the new risk assessment. My union has it and will advise. I don't think I have to sign, and that's from what I have gleaned from their own occupational health.
 
Sorry to hear about the ongoing issues at work @Druentia

Do call the Helpline for some advice and support. 0345 123 2399 Mon-Fri 9-6.

Let us know how things go.
 
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