Depression Affecting My Work

[K9Fran]

Back in March, after several months of symptoms (tearfulness, paranoia, short temper, confusion etc.) I went to my Dr who diagnosed a return of my clinical depression and prescribed Fluoxetine (Prozac) 20mg once a day (I had a previous bout in Spring last year, about 6 months into this job, and a further one the previous Spring in a previous job). I've been employed here since August 2008.

 

I struggled to continue to work, as we are a small company and I am the only administrator - I deal with all accounting & banking, all post sales queries, credit control, general admin as well as PA type tasks (errand running etc.), when I started it was just me and the boss, then a third member of staff was brought in to expand one side of the business - this meant an increase in my work load, but my 6 hours a day was not extended. I started working 09.30 - 16.00 (30 min break for lunch) as it suited the work pattern of the company better, even though my contract was never changed from 09.00 - 15.30 with 30 mins for lunch.

 

After my diagnosis this time, I asked for some modifications to be made at work - more support/ allowances be made to enable me to continue to work. I requested that allowances be made for it taking longer to do things correctly, more training on Accounts practises (I'd been asking for training/support on this side of things for the past year, since last years episode of depression but it hadn't been forthcoming), help with prioritisation as I have to deal with requests from both the company Director and a Manager so need to know which tasks take priority. I was being excluded from decision making - this was to be solved by having weekly team meetings. None of this has been happening.

 

Last Tuesday (11th) I had a meeting with my boss (the company director) where I was able to tell him I was feeling better, but how I am feeling still fluctuates, and I would keep him informed when things are particularly bad. He admitted that he hasn't been helping me with prioritisation as much as he should have, and asked me to send him a daily list of 'to Do' things which he would asses first thing and advise me of the priority of each item. My first list to him had 22 items, my second one more still..... He didn't respond to either in a timely manner, indeed I only got a response to Friday's list in my emails when I got in on Monday morning, and when I started to act on that list of priorities I was told I was wrong, that had been Friday's list. He also told me that he had been made aware of some errors in my work (one of my jobs is to raise booking forms on request - this used to be done by the Director and Manager depending on who made the sale) and I'd sent one back to the Manager with an incorrect date in .pdf format as per his instructions, even though I had suggested that saving both a .doc and a .pdf format file would make any necessary changes easier) - I explained that I'm under a lot of pressure, especially towards the end of my working day, as for personal reasons I have had to leave on time recently to collect my son from school - the request for this invoice and booking form had come in 10 mins before I was due to leave for the day. Both members of staff are aware of my need to leave on time and are reminded during the day. He did acknowledge that the error rate on the invoices I am asked to raise was now zero, and agreed to minute that fact, but when I received a copy of those minutes, it was missing. I was also noted that he no longer has any issues with my timekeeping.

 

On Monday I was handed a letter as I left work, telling me the company was 'considering instituting a performance review action against you' . It then listed areas where the company considers I am failing to perform to the required standards - prioritisation of workload, errors (it details some of these errors, one of which wasn't actually my error as I was only following normal procedure for paying bills, the supplier had supplied us with the wrong account details when setting up his account). Not doing things I had been told weren't a priority. Not producing reports which I had been told were a lower priority than another task, when I hadn't had time to complete the higher priority task.

 

This meeting will be Chaired by the Director and minutes taken by the Company Sec (his wife). I am advised I am allowed to take either a) a work colleague (choice of one as we are a small company, and he would be the last person I would want supporting me) or b) a Union official (I am not a member of a Union)

 

Needless to say, this has totally pulled the rug from under my feet. I saw the Dr on Tuesday morning and he's signed me off for 2 weeks. My boss has been advised that I won't be available for the planned meeting, and in the mean time all communication is to be directed through my partner who is acting as my 'gatekeeper'.

 

I anyone chooses to read my past threads on this subject, they will appear to be what they are - the rantings of a mad woman....... I really do love my job, I am perfectly capable of doing it, as my 12 1/2% wage rise after my probationary period shows. The only thing that's stopping me from doing it is this illness and I don't believe my employer is supporting me in any way.

 

Does anyone have any advice (if you've made it this far, give yourself a pat on the back!)

[collies r best]

Sorry ,no advice but tons of sent. Depression is so hard to deal with without all this carp being dumped on you.

Edited May 19, 2010 by collies r best

[snow]

I would consider joining a union, all employees are entitled to be represented by a Union and from what you have said and being the suspicious cynical type that I am if they were doing this to me I would be thinking they were going to try and get rid of me. Union membership is under £1 a week for part time staff and at the very least it would give you someone who can be with you at all future meetings with your employer and ensure that things are correctly minuted, moreover you'd know that they were there for you and not the employer and they'd have access to the full union for advice about contracts and unfair working practices etc.

 

You can find the Union which most suits your work sector here: http://www.worksmart...uk/unionfinder/

 

Having been in a toxic working environment & suffering depression and anxiety as a result of what was going on my Union was the only thing that helped me cope and deal with things and ultimately secured me a favourable severance package which I'd never have been able to get on my own and which allowed me to walk away head high and take my time in finding another job. There were 4 of us going through the exact same thing at the same time with my then employer 2 of us in the union 2 who weren't - we ALL quit but the 2 of us in the union were the only ones who got any form of compensation.

[Jazz]

[Lizzie]

After almost a year of depression, mainly due to stress at work, I left my job.

 

I'm now unemployed and it has put a strain on the family finances, but it was the best thing I could have done. I too loved my job, but had to put up with a lot of carp from the managerial side. I can't give any advice, but know what you are going through. As for the depression, I only get the odd day now which I can deal with.

[lester]

First of all I am surprised at you being given Prozac. very surprised. Many doctors even my own, are going with Mirtazapine or Citalopram in the longerterm , with constant reviews. I am told that this is because it avoids many of the side effects of Prozac (much written about) In my own case acceptance of a bizarre reality seen by others as dangerous. I am not surprised that you gave work difficulties, prozac isnt really good for work.

Maybe your doc has reasons; but I would have expected a long period of signing off.

 

Yes get a union or at least go to an employement law specialist solicitor. You may be going through "contsructive dismissal" or they may be trying to get around "redundancy law". From what you have explained you already have a variety of grounds to go to an employment tribunal. Give them a ring , they are nice people and will advise you.

[griff]

definately take somebody with you and as snow suggests join a union if at all possible you must get some professional help. i was on longterm sick at work after an accident and i was called in to work..my mum suspected what they were going to do and took me to see a free employment law specialist, he advised me that my company would be unable to sack me whilst on the sick and that they would have to make me redundant...however to make me redundant they would have had to have tried to find me a position elsewhere in the company. the advisor chap said to me that if they did sack me whilst i was on the sick i was to go straight back to him and it would give him great pleasure to take them to court. i did not have a union and there was no mention of a work colleague i took my mum with me and as far as i am aware (hopefully somebody can tell you for sure) you are entitled to take anyone of your choice with you...it would be great to get a union rep to go with you...bet they wouldn't expect that but if you can't get a union rep under no cicumstances attend the meeting on your own.

are you allowed to access your email account from home? it may be worth taking "hard" copies of the emails stating they have no problem with your work or time keeping, that way if they bring it up you can have your own evidence to hand.

i've just spoken to my mum and she says if you call a union they should be able to supply somebody to support you (not entirely sure what that means) and you can then join a union, would citizens advice be able to help??

good luck

[kats n greys]

Might be worth contacting Citizen Advice - if you can get a Union to represent you they would definitely be worth contacting - although they may not be willing to help (it's a bit like having a break-in and expecting an insurance company to pay out even though you haven't been insured.

Hope you get it sorted.

[chickentikka]

Hi

Have you had any sort of appraisal or performance review in the last year and has anything been said? If you aren't a member of a union you should still be able to bring along someone from outside of the company as support, especially if they are only offering you the option of one person internally.

 

Were your requests for additional training and the agreement to team meetings etc documented - that needs bringing up. With regards to the prioritising could you suggest that you send all parties who give you work an email with your priority order and if anyone is unhappy they should let you know in a timely manner (and copy in everyone else).

 

Don't crumple

[Fee]

I'm so sorry you are having such a rough time

 

It might be worth calling the ACAS helpline for some advice - at least you would go into the meeting knowing what your rights are and what your employer can/can't do.

 

There's also some useful information here: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/ResolvingWorkplaceDisputes/index.htm

 

Wishing you loads of luck resolving things

[gremlin22]

yep contact ACAS. they give free advice.They can also send a representative in with you i believe.

sounds like your employer is being a right a**e. to you.

[K9Fran]

Update - it's pay day on the 24th (to cover the period from 1st May - 31st May) - I've been informed of the amount I will be paid this month, which appears to have an amount deducted of approximately 1 weeks pay. Our Sick pay allowance is 5 days per year, of which I've taken one so far (1st Jan - 31st Dec) so that's pretty much as I'd expected.

 

Now - we have 28 days holiday a year, including 6 days BH although my contract doesn't say that, it's taken as read that we don't work BH. Am I right in saying that if I have only been paid SSP for the 31st May, then I am due another days holiday later in the year?

[chickentikka]

Hi

Yes you continue to accrue holiday whilst signed off sick, including bank holidays, so they are correct in paying you SSP for 31st and you should have that holiday available once you are back at work. Even if the policy was to pay full pay you'd still have the entitlement to the day off sometime later.

This is the CAB link

Edited May 20, 2010 by chickentikka

[merledogs]

I'm sorry to hear you are having problems with such unsympathetic people

[ranirottie]

no advice as there has been some great stuff said on here but as a fellow depression sufferer I would like to send you a Keep talking to people,especially your family and friends and don't bottle it up ,or it just gets worse. Good luck x