Work Related Query ...

[hippiechick]

Hello, this is my first post on here so bear with me whilst I ramble on to get all the details in 😉

I was diagnosed with Type 2 around 16 months ago and I'm currently taking 3 x 500mg Metformin and 1 x 100mg Sitagliptin a day. This is new medication for me and is making me feel quite ill (sickness, tiredness amongst others). I have been back to the Drs about these nasty side effects and I understand that I can change my medication but what I could take would add weight, which is not acceptable as I am on a programme to lose weight. Or I could go onto insulin, which whilst fine for some - not for me right now. So I get on with the side effects - they are becoming less intrusive into my life and I find it easier to handle them.

I suffer really badly with Heat Exhaustion as a consequence of my Type 2, and I have had to fight my own personal and public battle in order to get a window seat (our "modern" offices do not have air con!) and now there are a section of the team I work with who believe that I've got this window seat because I've kicked up a fuss over nothing. I have genuine medical reasons for wanting to be cool - if they are too dumb to look Type 2 Diabetes up for themselves then that's there loss 😉

So, I have let my employers know about all of this as I found I was taking time off due to the sickness. They were (or so I thought) very understanding, saying all the right things in all the right places and offered me an appointment with the local Occupational Health team. I accepted this very willingly. My HR department explained that they wanted to be sure that they were offering me the full support they could, and that I was getting the full support that I was entitled to.

This conversation was almost 12 weeks ago and I have had nothing but a bunch of baloney from my HR team 😡 I have received no support from them at all, everything I have got to help me at work I have fought long and hard for it myself.

The information I get back from HR is that setting up an appointment with the local OCH takes time for "admin reasons" which I know to be completely untrue: a work colleague recently returned to work after suffering with a bad back. Within a week of returning she had an OCH appointment!

I'm at a loss on what to do, I want my company to care for my health and do what they can to look after me ... is that too much to expect? (I perhaps should add that I work for a very large, global publishing house, that specialises in medicinal educational work and prides itself on looking after its staff?)

I'm not sure I have the strength or the energy to fight any more battles and wonder if anyone has any advice for me 🙂

xxx

 

[Caroline]

Not sure what to suggest. having seen occupational health myself I know it takes a little tme to set up appointments, but it is not normally very long.

Have you got union representation or a dedicated welfare officer who might be able to help? If not some ehre like the citzens advice people or in some cases ACAS may be able to advise.

I hope you get something sorted soon and things improve for you.

 

[margie]

If you are in a union talk to the union rep.

Could you contact the OH dept direct and see what the wait normally is.

There are a couple of ladies on this site who work in HR would might be able to provide you with some advice. Hang in there and I am sure one will post.

Re the metformin there is a standard tablet and a modified release tablet. Most people have less side-effects with the modified release (trade name Glucophage) if you are not on it maybe mention it to your GP.

 

[hippiechick]

Not sure what to suggest. having seen occupational health myself I know it takes a little tme to set up appointments, but it is not normally very long.

Have you got union representation or a dedicated welfare officer who might be able to help? If not some ehre like the citzens advice people or in some cases ACAS may be able to advise.

I hope you get something sorted soon and things improve for you.

Thanks Caroline - appreciate the feedback 🙂 We don't have a union here, the company don't approve of the NUJ and we are actively dis-couraged from joining them. We do have an internal mechanism that is "supposed" to repalce a union system, but they are so biased towards supporting the company! Any individual staff issues are not taken seriously and you are always given a response that benefits the company, or takes the company point of view

I hadn't thought about the CAB though - so thanks for that 🙂

 

[hippiechick]

If you are in a union talk to the union rep.

Could you contact the OH dept direct and see what the wait normally is.

There are a couple of ladies on this site who work in HR would might be able to provide you with some advice. Hang in there and I am sure one will post.

Re the metformin there is a standard tablet and a modified release tablet. Most people have less side-effects with the modified release (trade name Glucophage) if you are not on it maybe mention it to your GP.

thanks Margie - as mentioned in my post above, we don't have/not allowed unions at work I appreciate your feedback, it's very welcome! I'm on Glucophage - but I will discuss possible options at my next Diabetic screening session 🙂

I should have added that the OCH team that my company uses are a local, independent body, which is frustrating - if I knew who they were I would have been onto them weeks ago 😉

If there are any HR ladies on here your thoughts would be so very much appreciated 🙂

 

[Dizzydi]

Hi Hippychick,

The first thing you need to do is put in writing a grievance to your HR department. Keep it professional and to the point. Explain your worries etc, point out other staff have been having there 2 pence worth - you will have to name names - (it can be seen as bullying) and ask why they have not set up an appointment yet with the OH and question (in a nice way) why someone else has been seen etc. They are discriminating against you. Explain you want a response back in writing.

If they call any meetings, which they should, they have to minute the meetings and then you need to request copy of the minutes.

They will then have to investigate you grievance and come back to you with either it has been upheld or not etc.

Do you have a staff hand book ? Have you been issued any company policies etc.

Decide what you want to do and If I can help you more PM me. But dont do nothing - companies have a care of duty to there staff x

 

[imtrying]

Hi Hippychick,

The first thing you need to do is put in writing a grievance to your HR department. Keep it professional and to the point. Explain your worries etc, point out other staff have been having there 2 pence worth - you will have to name names - (it can be seen as bullying) and ask why they have not set up an appointment yet with the OH and question (in a nice way) why someone else has been seen etc. They are discriminating against you. Explain you want a response back in writing.

If they call any meetings, which they should, they have to minute the meetings and then you need to request copy of the minutes.

They will then have to investigate you grievance and come back to you with either it has been upheld or not etc.

Do you have a staff hand book ? Have you been issued any company policies etc.

Decide what you want to do and If I can help you more PM me. But dont do nothing - companies have a care of duty to there staff x

Hi Hippychick.

I work in HR too....

Just another perspective here - you could meet with your HR team, or put your concerns in writing (say, an email so it's all recorded), but in a more informal way rather than a grievance if that's what YOU want to do...it depends which you'd rather do and feel more comfortable with 🙂 you have the option to do both.

The thing to be careful of is claiming discrimination as there can be reasons why your colleague has been seen already, such as they knew the date they were due back to work and the appointment could have been made whilst they were off, hence why they've been seen quicker.

It is DEFINITELY your right to ask questions about why an appointment hasn't been made yet, and to make your disappointment known. Totally. In order for your HR team to support you, they need to be made aware of the affect waiting for an appointment is/will have on you, and also how that is making you feel (stressing you out, making you feel invaluable etc). These 'discussions' I would advise you ask for someone to take notes about so you have a written record, if say, another 3 months down the line nothing has changed. (If you raise a grievance, they will be minuted anyway, but if you choose to go more informally, it's still very worthwhile getting recorded).

I do also know how slow some OH practices can be at coming back with dates - very frustrating to an HR department, especially if they are tied to them and can't just switch provider. No excuses for your HR team though - they should be managing your expectations much better and keeping you updated on a regular basis without you having to chase for it.

I'm sorry you're receiving such poor service

Good luck.

 

[hippiechick]

thanks everyone, some really useful informtion.

My line manager is back in the office this week so I hope to have some time with her at some point to discuss all of this.

Hopefully something will get resolved 🙂

x

 

[Caroline]

thanks everyone, some really useful informtion.

My line manager is back in the office this week so I hope to have some time with her at some point to discuss all of this.

Hopefully something will get resolved 🙂

x

I hope it goes well for you and it gets resolved to your satisfaction