possible dissmissal for being off sick !!!!

[norbert]

Mo i'll help you mate. been there done that and f****d them big style.

i had 175 days absent over a 2year period for anxiety and depression they sent me a stage3 saying they had sent my attendance record to an ATOS doctor and they said there was no 'underlying reasons for my absences'
when it went to tribunal the chairman ripped the s**t out of the managers becuase at the time when they sent it i was going through some trouble with my meds and it nearly tipped me over the edge.
get in touch with me mate as i know exactly how you feel, i will do my very best to help you as much as possible.

that's it - you've got to justify / qualify - " no underlying reasons " - Panels & Chairmen don't like RM due to this attitude they have .

[guvenor]

currently off sick with anxiety dissorder
ie. stress panic attacks depression
just been prescribed anti depressants
question is doc says work related stress / anxiety can i put this in accident book sorry incident book
ie exct action etc seemingly cause of probs
where do i stand on this

[mo927]

Mo i'll help you mate. been there done that and f****d them big style.

i had 175 days absent over a 2year period for anxiety and depression they sent me a stage3 saying they had sent my attendance record to an ATOS doctor and they said there was no 'underlying reasons for my absences'
when it went to tribunal the chairman ripped the s**t out of the managers becuase at the time when they sent it i was going through some trouble with my meds and it nearly tipped me over the edge.
get in touch with me mate as i know exactly how you feel, i will do my very best to help you as much as possible.

sniper300c ive pm u mate !!!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

First of all, it does not matter what the reasons were for being absent from work, if the amount of absences or days lost are more than the agreed standard then a stage warning is automatically triggered, meaning you get an invite to an interview.

At the interview, your CWU rep and yourself put a case forward for not being issued a stage warning or in your case being dismissed.

If you are not happy with the decision, there is an appeal process at stage 3 (rtu).

This is what I find strange, all the literature and processes say all absences will be treated as genuine, yet the system treats all absences for sickness as a countdown to dismissal whether or not they are genuine.

I would much prefer a system that did not issue stages at all but really did treat each absence as genuine. Yes records should be kept to see if there is a pattern and yes there should be a process to dismiss or discipline the lead swingers and work shy.

For instance I have been with RM 6 years and in that time I have been off 7 times.

First absences was 8 days after an AOD - I was staged straight away and had to wait till that cleared before I was made up.

6 other times have been flu/cold related and for 2 or 3 days each. (Not bad for 6 years I think). 1 absence this year for another reason I don't want to mention but was 1 day.

Now over the last 12 months I have been sick 3 times for a total of 7 days and I am looking at a Stage 1 next time I go sick. Yet people in my office go sick for 6 days 2 or times a year and yet I face the same process as they do yet I have been sick less than they have. This is the problem, if you are genuinely sick but try to get back to work as soon as possible you get the same treatment as someone who plays the system. Is it any wonder that some do.

It needs changing not just for RM but for employees as well.

[mo927]

best thing is i should never of even been issiued with a stage one in the first place !!! everyone knows the standard for stage one, (two absences or 10 days) within a year period !! i triggered a stage 1 on 12/2/07 which means i was on a stage until 12/2/08 am i right ???? in that year period i had an absence of nine days (within the standards) so come 12/2/08 i believed my stage was finished would i be right ???
it so happened i took ill on 3/3/08 OVER a year since my stage was issued and apon returning to work my manager had a stage 1 waiting for me .

[guvenor]

we should be getting rid of this so called procedure
it is only a mgmt tool to pressure people with warnings
how could our union agree this in i certainly dont remember voting it in
and iv been here 20 yrs
union should be renegotiating this appalling procedure or we could do what rm does
just rip up so called agreement
i dont see too much for the benefit for genuinly ill people
and god help you if magmt dont like you
lets put a motion forward to pec to get shot of this

[sniper300c]

and it'll only get worse as time goes on.

the thing is you could be on your death bed and they'd still send you the stage3 papers out, aslong as they're digging the knife in thats all theyre bothered about.
"well we're only following procedure" biggest balls ever

[Destroyer]

There was a guy at our office that was told he would have to use his own annual leave to attend cancer treatment ??? The poor guy ended up getting a stage 1 for his attendances, sadly he is no longer with us :-( RIP BROTHER

[mo927]

just an update since i posted last on my topic.
i have since been sacked and just this morning have recieved notice that my appeal was upheld on the basis that i had broke royal mail attendance standards. this, even though i had a fresh report from a ROYAL MAIL doctor stating that the decision should be overturned and that dissmissing me was NOT the right thing to do !!
what is the point of having the doctors for royal mail if in the end they dont even listen to them ??
i am absolutely gutted on this desision and dont know what to do now :(

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Take it to tribunal. I doubt that anyone will be surprised that a RM appeal was a whitewash, but you have a better chance of a fair hearing at tribunal, because it is independant.

[mo927]

ive recieved my IT date for 1st july, when will i find out if the union are gonna back me on my case as i havnt heard from them since i was dismissed ?? do i employ my own solicitor ??

[General Mannerheim]

ive recieved my IT date for 1st july, when will i find out if the union are gonna back me on my case as i havnt heard from them since i was dismissed ?? do i employ my own solicitor ??

Feck me when will these lot actually SUPPORT a member when they have been sacked?
You will probably have to employ your own solicitor as CWU are only intrested in defending you if you`ve been sacked due to industrial disputes(i.e you`ve been a rep out on strike)as it looks good and makes good headlines in THE VOICE.
Go to a No Win No Fee one there are plenty about who will represent you.

[postghost]

just an update since i posted last on my topic.
i have since been sacked and just this morning have recieved notice that my appeal was upheld on the basis that i had broke royal mail attendance standards. this, even though i had a fresh report from a ROYAL MAIL doctor stating that the decision should be overturned and that dissmissing me was NOT the right thing to do !!
what is the point of having the doctors for royal mail if in the end they dont even listen to them ??
i am absolutely gutted on this desision and dont know what to do now :(

A very harsh situation indeed mo927.

If I were you, I would take legal advice immediately http://www.cwuaccidenthelpline.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I sincerely you hope that you receive justification for this and, I am confident you eventually will.
A long road awaits you brother. Please do not get dis-heartened!!There will be a light at the end of all this.

Keep us updated on here. There are some very helpful individuals on here who will assit in due course.

STAY STRONG AND KEEP THE FAITH!!

Above all else, try as best you can not to worry any further. It will do your long term health no benefits.

[postie222]

Sorry to hear about your case, it seems RM are now willing to chance tribunals. You will probabley have to prove what they call Strict Proof meaning that it is up too you to prove your DDA case. The Union will back you if you have a strong case, but they can not fight every tribunal. Reason is if they lose the cost can be quite high.
Good luck

[mo927]

thanks for the support guys, it IS really tough at the min and putting mega strain on my family. i feel like i have to prove to everyone it wasnt my fault i was dismissed, until they hear the full story. i was told in january by the branch leader here in belfast that the union would only take my case if it was 52% winnable. also that any correspondance reguarding the IT was to be sent to my own address ???? do the union know of any developments on my case for example the tribuneral personel rang me to inform me that royal mail solicitors had no idea i even had an IT case against them and asked for further time to investigate ??? i just dont know where i stand with the union and im worried as i want to fight my case with the best possible people who can get me the right result !!