Anxiety, stress and work

[FarHaveITravelled]

Last year I was off work for six weeks after being floored by depression. It was my first depressive episode in 5 years and I went from being fine one week to crying all over the place the next. I just felt totally overwhelmed with life and hid from the world for the first two weeks of my sick leave.

On my return to work I asked about reducing my hours and after a meeting with my manager I put in a formal application. It looks as though this is likely to be refused as my immediate line manager isn't happy with the idea. However, while I no longer feel depressed my levels of stress and anxiety are climbing. I am beginning to feel panicky a lot of the time and out of control. I have tightness in my chest, can't sleep properly and feel as though everything is becoming too much.

Dropping my work hours would be a fantastic help and despite acknowledging my need to do so my line manager isn't happy and the conditions she has laid down are unlikely to be met.

I don't know what to do now. Do I get signed off again due to my anxiety? Do I carry on and just hope for the best?

Can you make a request again? They are meant to make reasonable considerations.

You do not have to be signed off totally; you can go to your gp and get a fit note for reduced hours - so say you work 38 the gp can write a note saying for next 8 weeks say due to anxiety and work related stress you are fit to work 30 hours ( or whatever) during that time.

I'm only allowed to make the request once in every 12 month period.

I hadn't realised that about getting a fit note for reduced hours! I will look into that further, many thanks. Might be the light at the end of my tunnel. Well, for a while anyway :).

You can also request a referral to occupational health and ask that they recommend you work reduced hours. As you have a condition which could be considered 'recurring', you would potentially be covered under the Equality Act 2010 (replaced Disability Discrimination act). The Equality Act requires employers to put in place workplace reasonable adjustments and Occ Health could suggest reduced hours as a reasonable adjustment.
If you are a member of a Union, give them a call for support. Alternatively, call the ACAS helpline for independent, impartia,l fee advice.