In the past I have tried to cling into jobs with a disability and lost every time. Ask me anything about my experience

[Redspottyfrog]

A lot of people on here seem to think that cuts to disability benefits are a good thing and more disabled people should be able to work well I have had experience of this and it was hell on earth. I was diagnosed with epilepsy at 21, fibromyalgia at 25, chronic kidney disease at 27 and narcolepsy at 35.

when I was 35 (now 40) I gave up working after trying to hold onto jobs. In a nutshell every time I was taken on bosses promised the earth in support but the reality was very different and each boss apart from 1 ended up hating me for no other reason then struggling with disabilities. I was belittled many times, shouted at in front of other staff, one boss even tried to make trouble in the next job I had.

when I was first diagnosed with epilepsy at 21 I was let go on heath and safety grounds after a period of sick leave and I didn’t work till I was 24. I had been there since I was 18
from 24 till 32 I worked in a job that was ok until a new boss took over after 3 years in the job and removed all my adjustments.
from 32 till 35 I worked in a job that gradually wore me down and my old boss tried to cause trouble for me.

So out if 4 bosses 1 worked with me to put in reasonable adjustments, supported me with access to work and was great. 3 were terrible. I honestly think this is how it would be out in the word of employment for many disabled people- out of 4 bosses 1 would be great.

so if anyone wants to ask me about the reality of being disabled and employed and the attitudes toward me then please go ahead

just a little sub note when I did get access to work it actually cost more then my now benefits do as I had a full time support worker.

Could I ask what adjustments you had and what aspect of your disability did they compensate for?

yep my work was office based and could done any time so if a missed any work due to seizures I was allowed to make it up during evenings and weekends. I was also allowed my lunch as my desk as a found if I stopped working the seizures would be more likely to come on so I carried on working though my lunch.

I also had a blow up mat in an unused room that I could have snooze for a hour and recover after a seizure.

when the new boss started all this was taken away

Such as when I had a seizure he made me go home and said I could no longer be in the building. I could no longer have food at my desk. He was also horrid to my support worker who resigned. He was then the same to the next one who also resigned

And when I had a miscarriage he said FFS something else

Omg he sounds horrible! Thanks for spelling it all out - I find this sort of thing fascinating.

Bloody hell. Sounds like he was vile.

Oh god he sounds horrendous I'm so sorry

I assume there was no union or OH who could have helped?

The MC comment is vile.

What’s wrong with being sent home after a seizure? It’s normal practice anywhere I’ve ever worked for people to go home if they become unwell at work (and I would include a seizure in that). It’s being a responsible boss/employer.

There’s also statutory minimum breaks/rest time so again none of the places I’ve ever worked would agree to having an employee work through lunch as a regular arrangement or reasonable adjustment.

Did you explore any other ways they could have made adjustments before you left?

He sounds absolutely awful. Those adjustments were beyond reasonable.

I've had employees try to request detailed agendas for open ended meetings or claim they can't take notes in meetings and want them provided or things explained to them again after the meeting, or wanting so much extra time on tasts that I felt I was doing their entire job for them and they contributed almost nothing to the company. Those types of adjustments were imo very problematic for the company.

But not eating food at the desk? Seriously? Words fail.

Nothing is wrong with being sent home after a seizure but at the time I could recoverer in an hour unless it was a massive one so they worked with me and gave me the choice of if I could stay or not. The eating at the desk again was my choice and work allowed it. I should have put I finished half an hour earlier so just took my break at the end of the day.

the unions did get involved but by then I was that down with it all I got another job. The. That went the same way and I decided I couldn’t go through it all again.

But finishing half an hour earlier isn’t the same as taking a break in the eyes of employment law. I can understand why an employer wouldn’t agree to that as it would make them non-compliant with statutory rest time.

Did you try to arrange any alternative adjustments before you left, which your employer could have accommodate without falling foul of employment law?