problems at work

[cookiecookuk]

i have a big problem at work.at the moment i work 7 hours a day for only 2 days a week. as i have ME amongst other health problems but i can just about cope with my very busy day as it is very hard work but while i am working i feel that i am working i feel i am controlling the ME not the ME controlling me .

BUT this is the problem my boss and the kitchen manager who does the other 5 days a week(and a wa~ker )sorry but he is have decided between them to change the way we deliver breakfasts to all our residents and this means over another hours work fitted into my normal 7 hours i have tried this for the last two days and having to slog my guts out trying to catch up some time has absolutely killed me and i am in so much pain.

i am going into work tomorrow to speak to my manager (not kitchen manager) and tell him that i have tried his system but it is very detrimental to my health and i am going to refuse to do the extra.

question and opinion please can he sack me for refusing to do this on health grounds

i feel slightly better having got that of my chest

[ed_blackadder_1]

Oh Cookie, I am sorry you are having difficulties, everyone wants more and more out of us workers nowadays, lots more work for no more hours or pay, and they say things are getting better,  I would just tell them what you said here, how you were finding it difficult to cope with the work with your health problems, I take it they know about these.  I don't think nowadays you can get the sack just like that, but it is hard when you think you can get the sack for whatever reason, it is the same where I work, so you just shut up and get on with it, which is not the way it should be.

[gorillaswolves]

Hello

I feel for you lol !! 

I would thought that under the discrimination law & especially if you are registered with a disability (as I would think ME is) then your manager has no ground to sack you

I hope that I am correct on this but why not see if a friend or family member can do a search on Google for you & see your rights in the work place as an ME sufferer or even speak to someone at the Citizen Advice bureau or drop them a line

If your manager is aware that you are suffering with ME & that you get certain entitlement & so forth then again not 100% sure

I hope that your manager will understand your circumstances & that you are doing your best under the circumstances

Best wishes & hope it goes well !! 

[ginap.123]

We've been told that staff aren't being replaced as they leave & that the rest of us are expected to do more for less (in real terms) money

It's the same everywhere

[ed_blackadder_1]

But Nick Clegg said we are all feeling that things are getting better!

[cookiecookuk]

thanks for your thoughts so far.just had a quick look on CAB website and ME and fibromyalgia are certainly classed as a disability so will explain nicely to manager tomorrow and see where we go from there.

[merc1_clocks]

 Aww cookie...I hope you get a successful outcome 

[cookiecookuk]

thanks merc not looking forward to tomorrow

[bitsnknots]

Fingers crossed for you for tomorrow Cookie.  Hope that everything goes well for you.

[captainbovine]

Just remember Cookie, that your ME puts you in the right, and if you can't do the extra work, then you can't be made to.

Be calm, (deep breaths!) speak slowly and don't get upset and you'll get your point across.

good luck and be firm!!!!!

[stan3502]

Will keep my fingers crossed for you tomorrow cookie.

Job to job is different I am sure but in both my last two jobs I would of been unable to alter your work hours or duties if you are registered disabled without prior consultation .
you would also have been asked to have a meeting with the company nurse/doctor to confirm you were fit to carry out the extra duties or what extra help you needed putting in place to enable you to do the job.
Think a call to citizens advice may put you more in the picture as to exactly what they can implement as far as changes in job structure or commitment.

[stroppy*cow]

Hmmmmnn, difficult one, it rather depends on how savvy the HR dept is.

Ultimately they would have to make a case for dismissal on the grounds of "capacity to carry out the required duties". This would require medical reports, and they would have to be able to evidence that they had made every effort to enable you to carry on working.

The words to remember are "reasonable adjustments" - under the disability discrimination act they have to make reasonable adjustments to accomodate your disability. It would be a reasonable adjustment to return to the previous method of working that you were able to cope with.

Make sure that you have a copy of the greivance policy and procedure just in case you need it.

If you are not a member of a trade union it could be worth considering joining one as they can provide support if your employer is unreasonable.

Hope all goes well for you, I do understand what you mean about it being easier to manage of couple of long days rather than more shorter ones - that is the pattern that suits me too.

[cookiecookuk]

thanks stroppy and everyone else.i have been to see my manager this morning and told him quite nicely that as my job stands i can cope with the work but my health would not asllow me to an extra hours work on top so he would have to sort something out.

he is going to make an appointment to have a meeting with HR next week to see if something can be done and in the
meantime he will get someone else to do breakfasts next monday and tuesday for me

stroppy where would i get a copy of the greivance policy and procedure from

[rose2008-2008]

If its extra over your normal contracted hours then its in effect overtime,,,,. That is you cannot be MADE to work extra its on a yay or nay basis as to what you want to do.

i have had many problems at work with this sort of thing. Stick up for yourself as i know you will our Cookie and dont let them make you do anything you dont have to do especially if its affecting your health. Ohh no no no.

[cookiecookuk]

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@rose2008-2008 wrote:

If its extra over your normal contracted hours then its in effect overtime,,,,. That is you cannot be MADE to work extra its on a yay or nay basis as to what you want to do.

i have had many problems at work with this sort of thing. Stick up for yourself as i know you will our Cookie and dont let them make you do anything you dont have to do especially if its affecting your health. Ohh no no no.

---

this is not overtime rose this is over an extra hours work squished into my 7 hour day

[**towery**]

can i ask what have they changed and why has it been changed?

[cookiecookuk]

basicly at the moment we have 30 residents and i start at 7 i spend the next hour and 15 minutes prepping all the lunch potatoes veg meat plus second choice lunch  also put cakes in oven for tea trolley .put home made soup on then at 8.15 the carers come and i help them to do breakfasts i do all toast fry ups etc and they then run them on trays to each resident.we finish at 9 and then i carry on with my work

now what they want is at 7 when i start i have to take all breakfast stuff throught to dining room on trolley  tea coffee cereals bread toaster the works  and give those residents there breakfast in the dining room.plus running backwarrds and forwards to kitchen to do fry ups etc the most there is in there is six or seven ressies.then i have to clear all this up on my own and transport everything back to the kitchen to get ready for 8 .15 ready to do all the other breakfasts with the carers again finishing at 9 o clock than i have to start my normal work at nine oppose to the 7 i was starting at by now i am over a hour behind and have to slog my guts out to try and catch up as i still have to have all my work done by 12.30 as this is lunch time

[rose2008-2008]

OOhhhhh sorry yes i see what you mean now. Oooeeerrr well all i can say is its a B****Y CHEEK,,crafty S**Ds they are then. Thats a difficult one.

[cookiecookuk]

that was what has changed the reason behind it is they think it would be nice for the ressies to have there breakfast served in dining room a bit like a hotel buffet type breakfast .but all this is for only about 6 or 7 ressies as the rest have there breakfast on trays in there room as most are still in bed. those in the dining room normally have there breakfast taken to them on individual trays

[rose2008-2008]

I would still say speak up though,,,they might not expect you too but im all for making a stand luv.. I would,but thats me.