Firstly - I'd love to know what company you work for, and are they nation wide? Because I am desperately job seeking. Not being facetious, really want any leads possible!
I returned to work after years out the workplace due to mental ill health that turned out to have autism as an underlying cause (and explained why things weren't working that should have helped, different approach needed.)
I studied for a degree whilst unwell - it was Open University, and a subject I found fascinating and engaging (not necessarily one that would lead straight into a job) which made it far easier to manage. I could study entirely at times I could manage it - having times of crisis not able to cope with basic life didn't mean I had to drop out of the degree because I could make up the work another time. I studied part time over 6 years.
Employers of the sort who might allow this haphazard working pattern don't seem to employ people who have been out of work for years or who have little experience.
To start with I had to take any job that would have me, as I only had personal references and no recent work experience. I found a job which went brilliantly for a year or so, then things started to change. Demands became higher and more unreasonable. These included random unpredictable timetable getting worse, expectations of being "on call" for no pay on days off, being told we couldn't take any holiday days until we had a new team member (bearing in mind that even to attend an appointment you had to book holiday, as our shifts covered 7 days a week).
My mental health crumbled, partly because of the isolation and not being able to plan or join in with any sociable or fun things happening because they kept falling on my work days (I am single and childless so basically meant I had no meaningful human interaction). I was then treated like I was personally doing something wrong when I ended up breaking down and going off sick. (I couldn't even talk for the first week, I sort of existed and intermittently cried and was numb. Boss was angry I didn't get sick note in fast enough and said I should have someone who could arrange things for me if I was unwell - no clue that some of us don't). It's so upsetting even thinking about it now.
Anyway I forced myself back, only to find I was treated as if I'd let everyone down by being unwell, with a doubling down on harsh conditions. (The team were lovely, boss was not.) Ended up breaking down again and leaving. Another, mentally robust colleague who worked there for years left not long after, with a similar breakdown type thing, so it's not just me who found it too much.
My boss was a disabled woman, btw. Presumably didn't comprehend non physical disabilities.
After I recovered a bit I started to look for work again. In desperation took a domiciliary care job (I love the actual work, but was so concerned about random shifts). After two months on a zero hours contract (they start you on that for 6 months) with random shifts, shift changes, and large gaps unpaid in the middle of shifts (the hours I was actually paid were far less than hours taken up by work), not to mention being told off and treated like an idiot which turned out to be me uncovering serious neglect that should have been noticed earlier... oh and then catching an illness from a colleague, having two days off sick and being told my shifts for the next week were covered automatically so no pay for me ... I broke down again.
Now six months on (have done a college course part time whilst jobhunting)... desperate to find work.
I am @XenoBitch in many ways, just a few years on. I recovered enough I now can work regular hours, but it's bloody impossible finding something. The places that will employ me are desperate for staff as the working hours or other conditions are so bad.
I would love one of these mythical jobs where everyone is so accomodating and flexible. Hell, I'd be over the moon to even have a Mon-Fri 9-5 office job. But it seems impossible to find one without years of experience.
We need to focus on the pathway from being too ill to work, to working. Simply cutting benefits does nothing to help ill/disabled people find suitable work.