Work related stress.

[Sprackles]

Ok, 

I have been at my place of work for 26 years now but following an embolism a few years ago I have been shunted from shift jobs to an office job that paid the bills but left me pretty miserable as my entire working life has been shifts or unsocial hours so I always had lots of free time in the week, etc.

I have now been forced once again to move departments which has cheesed me off even further but the icing on the cake came when I had my appraisal prior to the move.
It was the worst one of my entire working life and at odds with every other one I had ever received at this company.

The final straw came when I was called in and told because of my poor review, I would not be getting a pay rise or bonus this year.
I have hit the roof.

Currently in touch with the Union for advice and appealing the appraisal but my belief is it was politically motivated for my move as everyone in the new department is paid around £8,000 less a year then me. A few appraisals like this would narrow the gap.

I'll be honest in that over the past few months this has caused me considerable problems with sleepless nights particularly as I regularly have to stay late to just try and keep on top of things as well as being e mailed and called at evenings and weekends for advice. I was even provided with a laptop to connect to company network at home and problem solve when called...no extra pay of course.

I am at the end of my tether with this and last week told my boss to ram it and walked out, it was either that or put my foot through my computer.  Got called back to see site manager but he was basically saying I am stuck where I am, nowhere to go. I argued about the appraisal and told him it was my belief it was engineered and was as good as a dismissal notice to me if that was what they believed.  

Cutting to the chase, advised to go off with stress by union since it is affecting me with being miserable at work and sleepless nights but obviously my worry is doing such would set alarm bells ringing with my local firearms dept.

I would add I am not depressed, have no desire to top myself, harm myself or others come to that and go about my other business quite happily until it comes time for work again.  I am desperately looking for something else to do but as I am now 60, my work options are somewhat limited.

Anyone have any ideas how going down this road would affect my FAC/SGC or is workplace stress treated differently from depression ?

 

[washerboy]

Hope your Union is better then the one I was in, a lad was told to admit responsibility for something he didn’t do and the company sacked him 

[Sprackles]

Just now, washerboy said:

Hope your Union is better then the one I was in, a lad was told to admit responsibility for something he didn’t do and the company sacked him 

UNITE,  since I am staff I get the head honcho to represent me.
Last one that went from staff got both redundancy plus a compensatory payment for constructive dismissal.
I'd settle for that

[clakk]

They are carp Sprackles ,wife had carpal tunell in both arms from work and wouldnt represent her and had the nerve to say do u know how busy we are.

[Sprackles]

1 minute ago, clakk said:

They are carp Sprackles ,wife had carpal tunell in both arms from work and wouldnt represent her and had the nerve to say do u know how busy we are.

To be honest they have been good with me over the past few years but I am more concerned regarding my tickets should I go off work.
Like I said, I am not depressed but I am wound up about the amount of rubbish I have had to put up with over the past year culminating in this latest trick.
If I go off with Stress it will force company to address some of my concerns which up to now have been ignored but it will be nothing to the stress caused if I lose my tickets :(

 

[Medic1281]

I’ve had six weeks off work through stress related illness. I always declare it on renewals but it’s never been an issue. I suppose it may come down to attitude of GP and FEO though.

[nobbyathome]

Sprackles what you have to do is step back and take stock of your options I like you am now 60 and have 5to 10 years left in me for work  if you are being paid 8k more than the others get your head down and suffer it for another few years or try to find other employment elsewhere that pay the same or more at our age unfortunately pay rises do not come every year unemployment does if we are not careful

as for the union best of luck with that in my opinion they are about as good as a hole in a condom in general they do not help the working man anymore 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

It certainly appears to be contrived, I hope Unite represent you well as it looks like it ma well become a case of constructive dismissal.

9 hours ago, Sprackles said:

To be honest they have been good with me over the past few years but I am more concerned regarding my tickets should I go off work.
Like I said, I am not depressed but I am wound up about the amount of rubbish I have had to put up with over the past year culminating in this latest trick.
If I go off with Stress it will force company to address some of my concerns which up to now have been ignored but it will be nothing to the stress caused if I lose my tickets :(

Have you concerns been properly documented?

Good luck.

[Sprackles]

1 hour ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

It certainly appears to be contrived, I hope Unite represent you well as it looks like it ma well become a case of constructive dismissal.

Have you concerns been properly documented?

Good luck.

I sent in a formal letter detailing my workload was unrealistic and it was causing me stress.  This was a while ago. A hurried meeting with HR ensued but no real change came about, just a softening of attitude which did not last long.
The pressure has again been ramped up as the company is trying to bring in a new planning model which is just heaping more pressure on me.

8 hours ago, Medic1281 said:

I’ve had six weeks off work through stress related illness. I always declare it on renewals but it’s never been an issue. I suppose it may come down to attitude of GP and FEO though.

Did you have this sickness while you were a certificate holder ?
I just think attitudes are hardening now and although a few years ago we may have been OK, the current climate is one of over caution, just in case.

Edited April 30, 2018 by Sprackles

[Medic1281]

Yeah I already had my guns, and I was really worried about going to the doc about it. But I was open and honest with him and the feo and didn’t cause any issues. It was back in 2010 and things may have changed a little now, however your health must always come before your shooting, if you need time away then take it. 

[AVB]

I feel sorry for people who go through this but I would very surprised if it wasn't raised by the GP and imo it should be. As Medic1281 said your health must come first and if it means giving up your guns for a while then you should do it. 

[Sprackles]

8 hours ago, AVB said:

I feel sorry for people who go through this but I would very surprised if it wasn't raised by the GP and imo it should be. As Medic1281 said your health must come first and if it means giving up your guns for a while then you should do it. 

I think my health will be best served by giving up my job.  No medication will make my employers better people and since I feel fine when I have time away from work i am coming to the conclusion it's my only realistic option.
Time to start looking for a way out. :(

[Medic1281]

2 minutes ago, Sprackles said:

I think my health will be best served by giving up my job.  No medication will make my employers better people and since I feel fine when I have time away from work i am coming to the conclusion it's my only realistic option.
Time to start looking for a way out. :(

Go for it! There’s no harm in change or new challenges. 

[Scully]

There was a time an employer could be liable for work related stress, but perhaps the onus is on the employee to prove the point? 

A mate who is 63 has just walked away from his job after 32 years owing to sleepless nights following increased pressure from a 'new' boss who is 'thinning out' the elder employees. This had been going on for over a year and he's had enough. He has both SGC and FAC. He's fine; he just needed to get away from the source of the problem. 

If you're not seeing a GP over this matter then they will have no knowledge of it and cannot inform your licensing department, and only then if they know you're a shooter.  In this case only you can decide whether your licensing dept needs to know. Long walks in fresh air in the countryside ( preferably with a gun and dog ) is a great stress buster. 

If you're going to return to work and the stress returns you may get to the point you have no choice but to either leave or seek medical help. As you say, no medication will make your employers better people. Go for it; you will probably find after time that you should have done it ages ago. Best of luck. 

 

Edited April 30, 2018 by Scully

[Mice!]

What's that you've Jared your back while gardening? You get a week self certificate, ask your gp to sign you off with a bad back for another 2 weeks? Don't mention stress, just get a few weeks off to chill out.

if there trying to do you over and it sounds like it just either don't perform or answer the phone outside of work hours, or smile and take it while you look for something else. It's very difficult these days for a company to sack someone but they can try and drive you out.

[Scully]

9 hours ago, Mice! said:

What's that you've Jared your back while gardening? You get a week self certificate, ask your gp to sign you off with a bad back for another 2 weeks? Don't mention stress, just get a few weeks off to chill out.

if there trying to do you over and it sounds like it just either don't perform or answer the phone outside of work hours, or smile and take it while you look for something else. It's very difficult these days for a company to sack someone but they can try and drive you out.

Good advice. 

Edited May 1, 2018 by Scully

[gdadphil]

HI Sprackles 

sorry to hear of what you are going through. I cannot comment on potential impact on tickets of being off with stress but my background is HR and am currently working with the NHS in a Talking Therapy service . 

FWIW I echo all that has been said re documenting everything that has gone on with your company. you may not be able to recall exact times a dates but to have a "diary" of events will help you to get it out on paper. it will also help when dealing with the union. Your employer has an "implied duty of care" towards you and so needs to respond to reasonable requests for support for managing workloads and/or learning new skill sets. they can' t just ignore you and if your "sick note" says work related stress then they should be taking positive action to support you in returning to work. 

I don't know anything about you or your circumstances but if you had broken your leg you would get the NHS to fix it. there is a NHS Talking therapy service near you http://www.navigocare.co.uk/our-services/community-services/open-minds/   

it may not be your thing but, just a thought, if you were seen by your FEO (if it came to it) to be seeking support it may be a positive sign that you were taking action to minimise the effects of what you are going through.

the talking therapy service is one you can go for directly without involving your GP and you can tell the admin people when you speak to them to mark your record for not advising your GP.

if you do a deal with your Company to leave there are a number of things to take account of. you currently have a contract of employment which needs to be brought to an end if a deal is done. the "divorce" paperwork is called a settlement agreement. it's a legal process which at the end of the day when fully signed off draws a line in the sand and you cant go back to claim any thing else from your employer.  you are entitled to your notice period (which in the absence of anything else in your contract would be 12 weeks). although you might be asked to work it , if your GP keeps supplying sick notes you wont return.  (TBH they probably would want to move you on asap)

you would also be entitled to any prorate holiday due to the end date of your employment. these are the 2 bits of "cash" you are entitled to.  do you have a workplace pension. if they want you out you may be able to get it paid bore your normal retirement date without any reduction in benefit, talk to your union on this one as well

what you and your union may be able to negotiate is a further sum of money as they may be worried about any claim you might want to take to an Employment Tribunal for  the way you have been treated. there is no expected figure here but they may be worried about the impact on their reputation  (and cost) if you were to take an Employment Tribunal claim. it just depends on how strong your case might be. you need to discuss any settlement agreement with your union but it helps to have done a bit of research so google settlement agreements.

 

all the  best 

Gdadphil

[Scully]

Cracking post. ?

[Sprackles]

Gdadphil.

Excellent post and very helpful.
Thank you  

[welsh1]

I had a hugely stressful period of about 4 months, oddly enough caused by a couple of police officers from another force making up stories about me, i ended up in hospital at one stage as it was thought i was having a heart attack,my feo actually suggested i should pop to the hospital as he stopped the interview i was giving him.They were great, they could see that even though i was stressed i wasn't thinking of going on a rampage or hurting myself and they treated me very well.

If asked be honest with them, explain why you have stress and what you are doing about it.

[KB1]

I'm not far off your age Sprackles, and the fact is my friend we get older and stuff happens….  I was a Pilot with a great life. I had a heart attack, and whether I like it or not, I'm never going back to that life.  You just have to perk up and get on with it…..

I now do a bit of structural engineering and run a couple of Thai Massage places.  It pays the bills and keeps me happy; not as happy as before, but we cant blame the world for our ailments.

Time on this planet is short, so try putting positive thought in your head, and don't let the ******** grind you down.

[Pushkin]

Sprackles, I was in a similar situation as yourself and my ex employer was looking to reduce wage bills and some people knowing a lot more than they themselves did (makes them look bad yep?) I did the numbers and as i was over sixty - eligible for early retirement with no loss on my pension from employment so i jacked it in in March last year.  I don't get my state pension until September next year but with 2 work pensions and a lump sum  I'm doing away not bad at all.  Check into the numbers my friend - you too could be enjoying as much free time as me

Pushkin

[Vince Green]

Unions are populated by rather ineffectual ( for that read useless bone idle) officials who get paid the same amount whether they sit on their bums and do nothing or get involved with everything that comes through the door. Unless you keep on at them they will be happy to take the zero option.

For many officials the appeal of the Union office is it beats having to actually work for a living. In my experience unless they are some sort of commie agitator on a mission most union reps are on of the Diane Abbott end of the spectrum.

What you are describing is workplace bullying, never use any other words to describe it and ask to have every meeting with your union rep  minuted because you are totally intending to take this to a court and wont take no for an answer so you will  need the evidence of the conversations. Tell them you need to speak to the union solicitor because you need to start preparing a case ASAP and leave nobody in any doubt that you are going for it.

 

Edited May 2, 2018 by Vince Green

[Brad93]

I’m only young but have been in this position a number of times. 

I now don’t do stress. Stress related strokes run in my family and it is simply not worth it.

I’ve been miserable, constantly ill, lethargic, blackouts, and dreading work every day. I’ve had full blown arguments with some employers. 

Had blood tests and scans, no explanation from doctors. Leave job, have a few weeks to myself - right as rain. 

My current employer who ive had a good first year with has recently had a shake up and pay rises were 2%. Been told no overtime will be paid or taken back in lieu But is expected of you. 

My trade is welding and I currently work for one of the largest welding equipment manufacturers in the world. I tend to find if it is a skilled job and you’re good at it you can have the worst history in the world with no references and get a job. 

Luckily ive parted with some companies on good terms so they would be happy to provide references. 

In my opinion work is a two-way street. You provide a skilled service which earns the company you work for money. You give them a solid 8 hours for a solid 8 hours pay. 

Consideration & Acceptance. 

Except this ideaology seems to be creeping in, whether it’s all these American business models that big companies seem to be employing, that your staff are a tool, a number and a liability on the books. Not an asset. 

World gone mad.