I received an email last week from the HR office, they know I have Crohn's and my sick record must be one of their worse! So they have asked me to see an Occupational Health Doctor, to check whether I need anything and to make sure they are doing all they can to help. The company I work for employs these as part of the business anyway. However, I'm not sure what to expect. Half of me is thinking am I being checked out for putting out to pasture, ok, firing! Or they are being especially kind! They are still paying me when I'm off sick, so probably the latter half. Has anyone had any experience of them, or does anyone know what I can expect? The last thing I want is to get stressed about it.
Until recently I acted on behalf of a trade union and this sort of situation arose from time to time with employees. You are usually contractually bound to attend OH if you have had time off work due to sickness. Your employer has to have some understanding as to the likelihood of continuing or further absences given that it cost money when staff are sick and the work still needs to be done. They will want to know if you are going to take further time off sick and to assess whether or not to continue your employment. The OH are supposed to provide an independent medical view even if directly employed by your employer and will want to discuss your sickness/ disease and its impact on your health and ability to work. I would suggest you be honest and frank about this. It could be that your employer is able to make reasonable adjustments under the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)and should consider what, if any, reasonable adjustments it can make to assist you to continue in your employment. You may wish to ask the OH if your disease falls within the scope of the DDA and to classify you as a disabled person in any report it makes to your employer. I assume your are UK based. If not, then this may not apply?
As for the OH doctor, the format is generally a discussion and not a medical in my experience. Usually quite friendly. You can provide them with contact details for your GP and or consultant if you think that either will provide helpful information (for you that is ) that can go toward making reasonable adjustments. Reasonable adjustments have to be just that - reasonable - so don't expect an employer to do something that is too costly or time consuming for example. You could say - have staggered works days - late or earlier starts that better suit your condition or close proximity in the office to washing/ toilet facilities. Or a reduction in the working week say from 5 to 3 days for a period of time (graduated return).
Your employer cannot go on forever tolerating sickness absence even if a person is classified as disabled under the DDA however the employer has to consider what reasonable adjustments it can make to prevent discrimination. It may be the case that your employer just wants to assist you as best they can hence the OH referral, however, they may also be considering your long term continued employment. This depends on the type of employer you have and you will know this better than most. With this in mind, I would suggest tact, diplomacy and a real think around what can be done to reduce sickness absence (if possible) as your employer will want to hear you saying you want to work and want to reduce absence (the real world I am afraid) and, with the best will in the world - will also consider if they want to keep you.
Just my own opinion/views others may differ and I hope they do as people's experiences are different and some may know more than me and pass on their experiences to you.
Thanks Ian, that's was a big help. I take a sensible approach, and to be frank there is nothing I can think that they could do, simply because, there's nothing I need. I glad you were detailed in your answer, as I know I'm not indispensible, and I know that there is the posibility of being let go, business is business, and not a charity run on my behalf (shame though!) They are a good employer, and I am completely honest with them, and they know that I do everything I'm supposed too, so I can only hope that goes in my favour. Would it be possible to contact you again once I've had the meeting, just so that if there are any points that would be useful to work through?
no problem re further contact- you would be surprised what reasonable adjustments could be made - take for example if your employer was considering letting you go - do they have ill health retirement options that would be financially beneficial rather than just notice money? Could you work from home and be better placed as a result to reduce sickness absence. Could you be offered other more suitable employment that did not impact on you as much? There are many things worth considering. Your age may have some bearing on things such as pension entitlements or is there a potential for early retirement or voluntary severance. If they were to let you go, could you negotiate a better reference as your disability should not cause you a detriment. What is their policy on disabled employees. If you are back at work, the OH report should be helpful to keep you in a job if your prognosis is better - i.e if your sickness absence is improving. There is loads to consider from an employers point of view before simply letting someone go as they may leave themselves open to legal challenge if they misbehave. So, it is worth looking at everything and any good HR section should not rush to judgement. Unless you can afford not to be in employment, you should yourself explore all options as the job market is not the best place to be at the moment.
I am usually a little bit ahead of myself in these things as I am used to trying to prevent dismissals and keeping people in employment and your situation is probably early doors so to speak so forgive my rather blinkered style which can sometimes seem a little abrupt.
Thanks again, I don't find your style abrupt at all, in fact it suits me. I can't currently afford not to work, but at a push may be able to go part time if health/employers pushed that way (life would be a bit tougher, but less stressful). Financially, we have options (my husband is part of 'we'). I know we have a sickness policy at work, which will cover 50% of salary if you have been at the company less than 5 years for 5 years, or until retirement after 5 years (I'm 46), so if I can keep fulltime employment for another couple of years, then I can relax a bit. We have equity in our house which would enable us to move to a cheaper town and perhaps clear the mortgage, so I know I'm lucky in that respect. I prefer to explore all avenues so that I'm mentally prepared for the worse. Your replies have given me some very good food for thought. I can't thank you enough.
Just an update, had the appointment through, daft people wanted me to travel into the centre of London, I spoke to HR, and asked them if they were aware of the foibles of Crohn's!!!!! Anyway, narrowed it down to a telephone 'interview'. HR did admit that no one else in the company has similar issues and as an employer they are deciding how to go forward with it, I think they are going to cover me under the Disability Act, which I think helps my case. I'm currently being paid for my time off, which I very much appreciate, and certainly do/did not expect to be paid outside of the normal terms and conditions. I may find in the future that it does not continue but I get the feeling they won't cut me off entirely. One positive note that HR said was that apart from time off last year for an op to remove/fix my intestines, that my sick record wasn't too bad, seems like it feels worse than it actually is!!!!
I'm currently going through this process - I have been off work (due to an op and the return of Crohns) for almost 8 months. I am going into work this afternoon for a meeting with HR to discuss a phased return to work. However, I have just received a letter for OH who are informing me that they will be doing a telephone interview next week by which time I should be back at work. I'll let you know how it goes. My employer have been supportive up until a few weeks ago when it was announced that 100 people are going to be made redundant, since then my boss has phoned my (informally) and told me I 'must' get back to work asap (think she's trying to do me a favour in order for me to keep my job but I now feel very pressured and not really well enough - on the loo about 25 times a day at the moment). On a positive note, my SSP ran out at the beginning of March and although I'm now on half pay I was advised to apply for Employment Support Allowance, which I didn't expect to get. Just checked my bank statement and have had £376 paid in!
I'll let you know what happens from here. How long have you been off work?
I was off work for 2 months last year and have had intermittant time of since (including the last couple days, everything was going sowell!). If you hadn't got Crohn's and had not had so much time off, do you think realistically you would be in line to be made redundant? If not, then I would think your Employers who have already been good to you, would have to think very seriously about letting you go. I'm still awating the results from my 'interview' and will keep you posted of anything that might be useful to you from the outcome.
p.s. my large bowel had become very sensitive so I taking Amitriptyline, which works a treat, but my consultant up the dose from 10mg to 20mg which has reduced my trips to the loo! Might be worth an ask if it's not already been considered.
I had a visit to OH a while back and found it useful. My employer had previously been quite unhelpful but I found that when their own Occupational Health department told them that I needed changes to my working pattern then they suddenly became a lot more helpful. My main problem was that I needed to travel and lived in perpetual fear of being caught in a traffic jam and needing the toilet. Now I do more work from home, travel by car outside rush-hour and do most travel by train so that I always have rapid access to a loo. Making my work easier has reduced my stress which in turn seems to have reduced my Crohn's symptoms with a result that I had to take very little time off sick last year. I guess it depends on a lot of things but I think in general it is best if your employer understands the situation so that they can work with you to do what they can. An OH visit should help that and if they want to get rid of you an OH asessment doesn't really make that any easier for them so it's not really something to worry about.
Just had my copy of the 'report' guess what, Crohn's is difficult to control and is likely to be covered by the DDA, I've waited 5 weeks for a copy of that 'report' as I said to my HR department what a waste of time, any of my colleagues who work with me knew that. But even more annoying, the 'temp' manager who is covering maternity leave instigated the report, and had a copy five weeks ago, did not consult his manger, nor HR, nor theoffice manager, and did not even have the decency to talk to me about it. I have told his manager either he kicks his arse or I will, and he's only a blinking temp!!!!!!!!!!! I will be seriously venting when he returns from his holiday.
I'm sure you're frustrated about having to go through the Occ Health route but it sounds like it will have done you a favour. It has confirmed to your employer that you have a recognised illness that they have to take into consideration in all aspects of your work.
The responses from Ian seem very accurate from my own experience of Occ Health and the employer. They will do what they can to keep you in work as long as your health doesn't seriously detriment the service, other staff and/or customers. It also depends on what you do for a job, what modifications they can do to the work, whether there's another job you can do that is more suitable, etc.
They seem like a very reasonable employer in that they have been looking after you, have a good sick pay length of time, have given you time to get yourself better, and now want to see what they can do to get you back to work on the correct terms, ie what they can/need to adjust to help you to be at work. Employers generally don't want to dismiss employees on ill health grounds, there can be all sorts of backlash if they do it 'wrong,' and generally they will have taken time and money to train you in your job and they don't want to have to do it with someone else. Dismissal is a very last resort when all other options have been exhausted.
Can I please suggest that if you aren't in a trade union that you join one. This applies to everyone who works, regardless of what they do. I have found union support invaluable over the years in various situations. It doesn't matter if your employer doesn't recognise a union, if you are in disciplinary or certain stages of sickness you have a right to have someone with you, who can be a union rep. There are unions that will accept individual members without it being backed by your employer.
Magpie, thanks for your reply. I had spoken to my HR department who were just as disappointed as I was re the report, they also thought, that the report will be benefitial all round. I just feel very cross that the 'Temp' manager had anything to do with it and has probably spoilt my chances of receiving additional help because the report was so limp.
I have to say thought I didn't know that anyone could join a union, I thought there had to be one operating in your place of work?
Do not alter or start any medications or other remedies without first consulting a medical professional. Remember that we are not medical professionals, but merely fellow sufferers offering the benefit of our collective experience.
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