Sorry this is going to be a long post I will try to explain as best as I can but I need some advice please.
I have terminal S4 cancer but I'm managing fairly well and until December I was working my usual job with some adjustments and I'd had no complaints about my work etc.
I was first diagnosed in 2022, had surgery & chemo etc and was off sick for 6 months. I returned to normal duties after a phased return and was given the all clear in early 2023. All was fine until early 2024 when I was diagnosed with the exact same cancer, in the exact same place but more advanced than before. I will add that I received awful treatment in 2022/23 from oncology and was left with CPTSD/depression etc and it was obvious that nothing's different this time (both hospitals involved are awful, very dismissive and rude) which led me to deciding not to have any treatment this time and let nature take it's course. Two years down the line I am gradually getting towards the end but I'm still living normally with medication/pain relief/support etc.
I work 14 hours per week (NMW rate) for a very large medical type charity in their retail arm since late 2021 - so I'm a retail assistant in a shop which is a popular busy one. The adjustments that I have had (since about late 2024) are things like no consecutive shift days, extra breaks (rarely needed), no lifting of heavy donations/items, no operation of equipment like vacuums or steamers etc so not much really compared to the rest of my duties. I will also say now that I am diagnosed with ADHD and autism which I declared to my employer from the beginning and it's never been an issue. Neither has there ever been any issues with my work raised and any small issues have been sorted between myself and my manager. I've always enjoyed my job.
I was signed off sick in December 2025 because I tired, felt ill and my manager had been treating me differently and poorly so I was excessively stressed/depressed. I had an occupational health assessment last month which said I was fully capable to return to duties with the addition of no lone working, set work days and to follow the same adjustments as before but mentioned tiredness/exhaustion/tumour pain.
I had an interview last Thursday with my area manager (my manager's boss) and he went through the OH report, asked if I'd consider redeployment/WFH transferring to other duties/job (yes I would), discussed my physical health and medication (low dose slow release morphine). He gave the impression that it was doable and we had a refreshment break. When he returned to the meeting he said that he was terminating my employment immediately from that minute. He said HR will email the decision later that day and that I could appeal. That was it.
I am still waiting for this documentation to come through from HR and I've been told to wait for how ever long it takes. The company's own sickness guidance states that you must appeal within 7 days of being told of the dismissal.
I have put in a SAR to the companies data officer today because I have a very bad feeling over the whole thing - not only have I lost my income/job but I've lost my death in service insurance.
So what can I do? What are my options now seeing as my employer is already being obstructive?
I know that I have a Protected Characteristic under disability law. I have already suffered discrimination from my employer because they have refused to carry over my unused holiday entitlement in 2024 & 2025 and I had to lodge a complaint at the end of last year and in February they agreed to 'award' me my correct entitlement but I had to fight for it. My store manager is very poor and has a history (which is ongoing) of denying staff their correct breaks, being difficult when wanting holiday, restricting access to our own work records online etc. It was a disagreement over my holiday entitlement, plus she told me some outrageous lies, that caused me to go off sick in December.
Sorry this so long but I'm hoping that someone can give advice as to how to proceed.
Thanks for any advice xx