Colleague dismissed due to cancer

[user9102991]

My colleague was dismissed earlier this month due to a long term illness (cancer). She has been off for just over a year and is going through chemotherapy.
I've never worked anywhere before where someone has been dismissed due to ill health, does this happen in most work places?

Yes but only where there was no prospect of them returning to work.

why? If you can't work for months, a year or 2 maybe, how are you supposed to live? Benefits should cover that time, making sure you don't lose your home and you can buy food and support your family.

I know of several teachers who have been on long term sick for years, turning up for a couple of weeks then going off sick for months leaving the school scrambling to provide cover. I wish they could be sacked as they are having a devastating affect the education of hundreds of children, wrecking the exam chances and dreams of many.

I lost my job last year because my son had cancer. It's awful, I feel so sorry for your colleague.

Cancer is devasting enough as it is without the financial stress on top of it.

Absolutely. I fail to see how people have a personal responsibility for falling ill with cancer.

Yes of course firms can get rid if you’re ill. And do. Cheaper.

Often they make you redundant so less pension either.

As a senior officer in local government, I was once strongly advised that I had to dismiss a member of staff on ill health grounds who was just coming to terms with a stage 4 diagnosis and given only a few weeks to live. I refused, as I wouldn’t want to work for any organisation that felt that to be morally acceptable. Instead, we could look at options such as ill health retirement or holding out until they received (very sadly) a death in service payment. I know it’s tax payers money but if you leave a young grieving family financially destitute how does that help anyone!!!!

Ill health retirement is a privilege only available to very few people now, and mainly public sector.

It's simply not a thing in private sector.

Perhaps they are just ill?

They don’t get paid for ‘years’ off.

l taught fir 25 years. No one behaved like that unless they were genuinely ill.

This is why critical illness insurance is highly recommended.

So what if they are genuinely ill? Why should a child then find they are faced with a chaotic series of supply teachers from other subjects trying to cover their class in an A level they require for their university course wrecking their chance to go to university and their own future employment prospects?

I advise in this area. Most people take Income Protection over Critical Illness, but if unable to work for any illness or injury it'll pay a monthly amount (like private sick pay).

Also should add we've got word the government are trying to add death in service to the estate for inheritance tax purposes.

What else are they supposed to do ? You can’t just sack them outright.

What should happen is teshets are replayed from other groups to teach A level. And supply covers their classes.

or they get long term supply.

When l was teaching this is what happened. Never caused any issues

Personal responsibility? Do explain.

I worked for a large employer that had very compassionate policies around this, and it was insured. But I had to dismiss a nanny on capability grounds after a long time off sick. It was ages ago and you could reclaim the SSP then, but I don’t think you can now. Is the OP suggesting nanny employers should not be able to do this? Impossible financially and practically. It was awful.

Never caused you an issue may be, but what about the students? You should be able to sack staff who repeatedly come back for just a week or so then go off sick for two months on a pattern repeating across years. They are clearly not able to do the job.

Treatment can easily last a year or longer. Surgery, recovery, chemo, failed chemo, new chemo, failed chemo, radiotherapy, more chemo. And so it goes on.

Yes I’m three years in October. On immunotherapy and the colitis is severe because of it. I’ve got 12 weeks annual leave accumulated! They are going to give me half of it in a block now. Can’t get universal credit as I retired and returned so have savings over six thousand. I’m taking out a thousand a month I could weep when I think of 25 years a nurse and my lump sum is being spent on cancer living and not fun things.

They were not dismissed for having cancer. They were dismissed for being unable to do what they were being paid to do at work

At the end of the day, if you are unable to do the job you are paid to do, then
employers have no choice, but to follow procedure ( which could ultimately end in dismissal). If they are following the absence management policy, then there are usually a series of meetings which employees are required to attend. Alternative roles within the organisation may be considered first, along with any reasonable adjustments etc.

Have they kept your job open for 3 years ? If I’m not back in work by the end of this year, I will be dismissed, unless I can get IHR.

No no get in touch with your union. My friend said it takes a year to get rid of nhs staff. What about all the women at work who keep having babies and take the full pregnancy off sick come back for four months and do it again? We have a couple. They can’t sack you my manager has been so good she said I’m going to have the longest phased return ever. I’m still not sure what happens treatment days I guess I use my annual leave. I won’t be running to Labour ward again but I still have my brain and I’m good with people so I’m hoping to go into a child development role. There’s also the doctors begging me to update all the patient records the most boring job ever but they said I have a nurses brain which is to my advantage. If I have to drop a grade I will if I have to go down to 22 hours I will. I need to beable to walk without a stick first! I’m desparate to go back.

@EachandEveryone you have a good employer. I work in a school. The Head is following procedure to the letter. Im
with Unison, will see what my rep says at the next absence management meeting. Chemo is not to mop up a few stray cells, it’s to try and shrink a huge tumour. All so frustrating.