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Original poster

Redundancy while off sick

65 replies

KatieMcFlightly · 05/09/2012 21:03

I've been off sick with work related stress for 6 months and have had a letter telling me that there are going to be redundancies at work. There are 20 of us and the council are cutting us down to 14. We have all got to apply for our jobs and 14 of us will be appointed. I've been given a skills matching form to fill in. I'm off sick, can they make me redundant? What happens if I'm not well enough to go back to work if I'm appointed? Can I stay off sick? Thanks

OP posts:
TellyBug · 05/09/2012 21:20

Yes they can make you redundant but it can't be the reason why.

But you're not going to be much use to them if you're not in for six months...

flowery · 05/09/2012 21:24

Yes you can be made redundant, and unless your condition is a disability, your attendance can be used as a criteria for selection.

However you should have been (or will be shortly) told what selection criteria they will use.

If you work for a council is there a union?

TellyBug · 05/09/2012 21:26

Agree with flowery, attendance levels can be taken into account.

Original poster
KatieMcFlightly · 05/09/2012 21:31

My union is UNISON. I think from the selection criteria that I am pretty certain of a job. I'm highly skilled. My problem is that I don't think I'll be well enough to go back. I don't know when I will- if at all but I don't want to lose my job.

OP posts:
TellyBug · 05/09/2012 21:36

You're not sure you can go back but you want a job?

I think you need to figure out how you can get well enough if you want to work. You should at least be working with your employer to figure out what they can do to support you back into work and also what you're doing.

Your skills are pretty useless to them if you're not there, therefore they're irrelevant.

Original poster
KatieMcFlightly · 05/09/2012 22:03

But I'll probably be appointed on points. I need to know if there's any way they can get rid of me because I'm not there. It's not my fault I'm ill. It was work related stress. My boss tried to change my job after I'd been ill for 3 months and I went back to less responsibility and the same money. She said she was taking pressure off but I wanted the same job I had. It's her fault I'm off sick cos she changed my responsibility and took some jobs off me . She says its not her fault as Id been off work for 3 months and she carried on doing some of my work when I returned. I stayed one day to the changed role but the same salary and then went off sick and have gone off sick again. I want the old respononsility that I had but she says it made me ill. I cant go back unless im going back to the old job that doesnt exist anymore due to the cuts. My salary wil be the same but the old job doesn't exit any more. I have filled the skills form in to the old job an surely I can force the council to let me bakc to my old job

OP posts:
TellyBug · 05/09/2012 22:09

No, Katie you can't force them to give you back your old job. You say you couldn't cope with it. They then took some work off your plate (for the same money) and then you went off sick again...

I do appreciate that stress is a real sickness but it sounds as though they've tried to help, you gave it a go for just one day and then went sick again.

They do not exist to give you a job. If you want to work you need to be open to change and flexible.

Original poster
KatieMcFlightly · 05/09/2012 22:14

I Will get appointed though won't I? I have more points than anyone? Or can they not appoint based on the fact I'm off sick?

OP posts:
Original poster
KatieMcFlightly · 05/09/2012 22:16

HR do the decisions though, not my boss which is ok. If he form looks good, my boss has no influence

OP posts:
TellyBug · 05/09/2012 22:24

Why do you want to keep a job you don't want??

Original poster
KatieMcFlightly · 05/09/2012 22:28

cos i need the money and why should my boss get away with demotimng me

OP posts:
TellyBug · 05/09/2012 22:35

Go and get another job Katie. There's no place for people with that attitude in councils anymore.

Original poster
KatieMcFlightly · 05/09/2012 22:42

But I can get awya with it all. I'm legal. I just want to know how long they can keep my job for me. 6 people will lose their jobs and I'm sad about that. But my boss shoulend have changed my role. She demoted me. I deserve paying

OP posts:
TellyBug · 05/09/2012 22:43

You're a disgrace to the public sector.

Original poster
KatieMcFlightly · 05/09/2012 22:44

I'm not. My boss took away my responsibility. HR WILL give me my job back cos I have enough points. I also completed a degree while I was off sick and my boss has just found out which im worried about but she cant do anything about it

OP posts:
RubyrooUK · 05/09/2012 22:49

Is this a reverse thing where you're the boss?

Hmm
TellyBug · 05/09/2012 22:51

ruby After that last one I was wondering if something is fishy about this...

Original poster
KatieMcFlightly · 05/09/2012 22:51

no. why would you say that?

OP posts:
Original poster
KatieMcFlightly · 05/09/2012 22:53

I went off sick in march and while off sick i finished my degree. I have heard through the grapevine that my boss has found out about this. I CAN of course deny that i took the time off to do the work as I compleeted it befpre I went off sick. My boss is a bitch

OP posts:
EdithWeston · 05/09/2012 22:59

It is possible that others applying for the remaining roles will also meet the basic criteria, and the view on how well you and they fit will be made by your managers, and there surely can be no guarantee from HR at this point what those decisions will be.

If the job is making you ill, then is it the right job for you? A redundancy could give you the financial cushion you need whilst you look for something that would not cause you health problems. This might be a better situation for you than the one you might find yourself in when your sick pay period runs out.

RubyrooUK · 05/09/2012 23:02

OP, I guess I just suggested this was a reverse post because it's totally fair enough to post and ask for advice on whether you can be made redundant when you are long term sick.....

...but you then said your job was too stressful. Your boss then tried to remove some stress. You wanted back your original role and only tried it for one day. You then went on to talk quite casually about how people would lose their jobs but show no enthusiasm for ever returning to the job, only the money. You also revealed you'd been busy working on your degree and had concealed this from your employer.

I guess I just found your case presented in quite an unsympathetic way. But if it's not a reverse post, apologies.

Original poster
KatieMcFlightly · 05/09/2012 23:07

ruby. It;'s what happened. Ive just foudn my boss has found out all this. MY compleeting my degree was therapeutic to me. Surely I cant be judged for that/ Honestly, my boss really is a bitch

OP posts:
Londonista1975 · 05/09/2012 23:07

Sick enough not to go to work but not sick enough to finish a degree? How does that work, then?

Original poster
KatieMcFlightly · 05/09/2012 23:08

Edith- no one will have as many points as me. I am more qualified and more experienced than any of the others

OP posts:
Original poster
KatieMcFlightly · 05/09/2012 23:09

Finiching my degrree was therapeutic. They cant prove any of that though.

OP posts: