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AIBU to consider legal action after dismissal for long-term sickness?

560 replies

KittyCoo · 17/04/2026 19:18

I’ve been dismissed from my job today due to long term sickness since August last year. I have crohns, ASD, and very severe OCD. I have intrusive thoughts and last summer I declared these to my boss who completely misunderstood me and was worried I’d act on these thoughts shock I told her they caused me immense distress.

Last month, I was confident I’d be able to return to work as I’m finally having CBT and on the right medication, now on an SSRI combined with an anti psychotic. My boss was supporting my return. But then a week later she decided to place me on medical suspension without any prior warning because occ health deemed me unfit to work due to my OCD still taking up a lot of my day. I then fed this back to my line manager saying I’ll beat this decision as in prove occ health wrong and that I am indeed fit for work. She arranged a meeting with me to discuss suspension and she knew my union rep was on annual leave but decided to go ahead with it anyway!!!

They dismissed me due to long term sickness and not taking into account what’s working well with my mental health!! I’m looking at finding a solicitor as I believe this is unfair dismissal due to my disabilities under the Equality Act 2010. I’ve contacted a few and had a few quotes back.

AIBU by wanting to take legal action and sue them because my OCD is deliberating and because of my ASD I have different communication styles that they’ve completely misunderstood. Do you think this is unfair dismissal ?

im so traumatised by it all and im worried ill be made homeless and have my property repossessed as I’ll have no money and won’t be able to find a future job

OP posts:
PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 17/04/2026 21:53

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:52

You sound incredibly bitter @PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR, why is that?

I'm just telling you the truth which is that people are replaceable and expendable this is common knowledge

StrictlyCoffee · 17/04/2026 21:52

PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 17/04/2026 21:48

Is that through private insurance or does the workplace have to offer it?

It’s a benefit some workplaces do offer, fewer and fewer do so as it’s very onerous on them

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:52

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

You sound incredibly bitter @PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR, why is that?

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:51

PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 17/04/2026 21:45

Unwell for 10 years. Come on, we're all curious, can you not elaborate and tell us a bit more about how this even happened? Sounds like something you would read about in a tabloid. Was this all the same company?

Not 10 years together, 4 years in the 1990s, 3 years in 2010s, 3 years in 2020s. That’s the reality of serious mental illness, struggling to keep going at work between long periods of crisis.

XenoBitch · 17/04/2026 21:50

PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 17/04/2026 21:48

Is that through private insurance or does the workplace have to offer it?

It was a workplace thing, and a perk of working for them.
She has to have regular assessments about her health, but if she passes them, she still gets paid.

PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 17/04/2026 21:48

XenoBitch · 17/04/2026 21:47

A perk of some jobs is income protection if you get unwell. My best friend has been "off sick" for over 10 years.

Is that through private insurance or does the workplace have to offer it?

PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 17/04/2026 21:47

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

XenoBitch · 17/04/2026 21:47

PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 17/04/2026 21:45

Unwell for 10 years. Come on, we're all curious, can you not elaborate and tell us a bit more about how this even happened? Sounds like something you would read about in a tabloid. Was this all the same company?

A perk of some jobs is income protection if you get unwell. My best friend has been "off sick" for over 10 years.

FloridaCheese · 17/04/2026 21:47

It sounds like you're unable to work. Businesses can't afford to pay people for an indefinite amount of time. You're an admin worker taking up a lot of time and resources distracting people from doing their jobs. Extra work for HR. People to cover for you. Business need reliability. It sounds like you're unable to work and have several issues that aren't going away.

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:47

PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 17/04/2026 21:45

These are the sorts of candidates getting chosen for jobs over you, guys.

Just remember that.

I think it is because I am so good at my job that I have been kept on for years when I’ve been off sick.

MummyJ36 · 17/04/2026 21:46

Hi OP, I don’t know about the legal side of this but just to say you have my real sympathies with OCD. I developed it after the birth of my second child (different type of OCD, mine involves a ridiculous amount of checking things) and I’m only now on the road to getting some CBT. It’s exhausting. And if you’ve never been through it you just cannot understand what it’s like to not trust your own mind.

I know it’s all done now but just to say you definitely shouldn’t have felt under pressure to tell your boss the nature of your OCD. It’s very personal and hard to explain. Dont feel the need to do that in the future, it’s enough to say you’ve got OCD, it’s not for others to judge.

PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 17/04/2026 21:45

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:45

I’m really not bragging. I’d rather have been well and not had to take time off.

Unwell for 10 years. Come on, we're all curious, can you not elaborate and tell us a bit more about how this even happened? Sounds like something you would read about in a tabloid. Was this all the same company?

XenoBitch · 17/04/2026 21:45

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:42

Mine covers me til state retirement age so it is a very good employment benefit.

You are getting a lot of hate on here, but I can understand where you are coming from.
There was a thread on here recently where it was obvious that not many people knew about income protection schemes.
Like you, my bestie will be sorted until retirement too. It was a perk of her job (and I imagine yours too)... a massive multinational company... not the NHS or similar.

PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 17/04/2026 21:45

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:43

Neither.

These are the sorts of candidates getting chosen for jobs over you, guys.

Just remember that.

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:45

PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 17/04/2026 21:43

This is so dishonest and gross to brag about, esp when AI is taking peoples jobs and young people can't get a job. There are people who actually want to work and deserve jobs.

Edited

I’m really not bragging. I’d rather have been well and not had to take time off.

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:43

whatradiatorstopick · 17/04/2026 21:42

99.9% of businesses in the UK are SMEs. Median profit for an SME in the UK is £13,000 to £70,000 per year. Please explain to me how on earth they are supposed to fund the level of employee sickness that is referred to on here?
Oh and @MrsMigginsBrunch? You are either on the wind up or you “worked” or not as it happens, in the public sector.

Neither.

PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 17/04/2026 21:43

Dontbeatwat · 17/04/2026 21:40

If you're serious, then I feel sorry for the companies you worked for.

I'm not trying to be goady, but that kind of practice is absolutely unsustainable for companies.

This is so dishonest and gross to brag about, esp when AI is taking peoples jobs and young people can't get a job. There are people who actually want to work and deserve jobs.

Bababear987 · 17/04/2026 21:42

KittyCoo · 17/04/2026 19:58

@Avslighthead long term sickness was the reason why

@Itsmetheflamingo Thsnk you very much for helping me to clarify the reasons why I was dismissed were unfair and explaining that it’s illegal to sack someone with a disability. It makes me feel like absolute shit calling me dangerous and my psychiatrist has confirmed it not dangerous to my boss but she’s still having none of it!!!

Its not illegal to sack someone with a disability, its illegal to sack someone because of their disability.

You aren't capable of doing the job and have been off for a huge amount of time, they can't be expected to keep you on the payroll indefinitely.

whatradiatorstopick · 17/04/2026 21:42

99.9% of businesses in the UK are SMEs. Median profit for an SME in the UK is £13,000 to £70,000 per year. Please explain to me how on earth they are supposed to fund the level of employee sickness that is referred to on here?
Oh and @MrsMigginsBrunch? You are either on the wind up or you “worked” or not as it happens, in the public sector.

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:42

XenoBitch · 17/04/2026 21:39

My best friend was let go from her job about 10 years ago, and still gets paid under the income protection scheme.

Mine covers me til state retirement age so it is a very good employment benefit.

Dontbeatwat · 17/04/2026 21:40

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:22

7 months isn’t long. I’ve had numerous long periods of time off sick in the past 30 years (1 year, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 3 years)

If you're serious, then I feel sorry for the companies you worked for.

I'm not trying to be goady, but that kind of practice is absolutely unsustainable for companies.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 17/04/2026 21:39

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:37

Some of it was unpaid but the majority was full pay, half pay or income protection payments.

Huh… no wonder a big complaint I see here is about wage stagnation.

Sorry all… will go back to waiting for the OP to answer pertinent questions

XenoBitch · 17/04/2026 21:39

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:37

Some of it was unpaid but the majority was full pay, half pay or income protection payments.

My best friend was let go from her job about 10 years ago, and still gets paid under the income protection scheme.

Changednameagain999 · 17/04/2026 21:39

I am just glad i don’t work with you.

MrsMigginsBrunch · 17/04/2026 21:37

saltinesandcoffeecups · 17/04/2026 21:30

So you’ve been paid for 30 years and only worked 20? Holy hell.

Some of it was unpaid but the majority was full pay, half pay or income protection payments.

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