work refusing to acknowledge that I am ill as I want to carry on working?

[whiskersonkittens]

I have depression (recently exacerbated by crass action by my manager) but am really trying to work through things and avoid having time off work if possible - particularly because I am shortly to be involved in a really important project which I know I can cope with as it is outside the normal office environment which is what casues all the issues and problems.

Work know this but are basically saying that if I turn up for work I am 'fit for work' and are having a go at me for evey little mistake .

Is there anything I can do to stop this harrassment (that is what it feels like) or are they right that if I turn up for work then I should be capable of being 'perfect'?

Are you fit for work or aren't you? What does your doctor say?

If you haven't been signed off sick it is reasonable of your employer to think you ought to be able to do your job to a reasonable standard as normal, yes. Whether the 'having a go for every little mistake' is justified I don't know, but there's no particular obligation on them to cut you more slack because you say you are unwell on an ongoing basis.

What's happening to address your situation? Is your depression affecting your performance or do you think it's unrelated? If it is the depression causing these problems, that's not a sustainable situation so what's the plan longer term about addressing the problem? If it's affecting your performance it obviously needs dealing with in one way or another.

I'm not saying your work are behaving as they should, ideally they should be supporting you and helping you address the difficulties you are having. Have you discussed your treatment/your doctor's thoughts with work? Assuming you haven't and are just turning up and saying you are fine for work, it's difficult to see it would be reasonable to expect them to just cut you some slack without them knowing what's happening to address the situation so that it doesn't become ongoing.

If you can say to them 'my doctor says I should be at work but my duties/responsibilities should be reduced for a while, during my treatment and reviewed regularly', that's something they can work with.

Thanks for your quick response - you have made me realise that perhaps I am being a bit unreasonable . Trouble is it is the work environment that exacerbates the depression to a certain extent, (which does affect my performance) so I feel they have some responsibility to do something about it.

This latest episode flared up last week so I haven't been back to the doctor, and indeed wanted to avoid that but I see now that I must to get back on an even keel, and hopefully that will help deal with the issues.

try the acas website

Well you are right that if things aren't right at work and that is exacerbating your condition, your work should obviously try to support you and address any problems they can. But to achieve that you need to talk to a doctor about what is needed and make it a bit of a three-way conversation about achieving the desired result for everyone concerned. See your doctor again, see what he/she says about working and take it from there.

I have depression and teach, I am protected under the disability discrimination act so I can work but my emplyer has to allow for my illness. I am not for example under the same rulings for absence, I can get help with things or ask for reasonable extensions on deadlines.

Do you have a union. You do need to be honest and open with your employer and doctor though.

Depression can be (not always is) a disability under the disability discrimination act. This does mean they should cut you some slack as long as it's reasonable (duty to make reasonable adjustments). I think you should try to agree a work plan - it needn't be all or nothing. You should "assume" that they have to offer this - they are taking a risk of breaching the law if they "assume" they don't.