If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Options
Jobs and chronic illness
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
I have a chronic illness which means i am unable to work for up to 7 days a month (but normally 3 or 4 at the most)
It worries me that i might never be able to hold down a job because they'll get pissed off with the amount of days i have to call in sick.
Is a chronic illness a disability? Is there anything i can do? Or is it just a case of discussing it with future employee's. Its a personal and pretty unknown illness, so im not comfortable giving out details to potential employers
It worries me that i might never be able to hold down a job because they'll get pissed off with the amount of days i have to call in sick.
Is a chronic illness a disability? Is there anything i can do? Or is it just a case of discussing it with future employee's. Its a personal and pretty unknown illness, so im not comfortable giving out details to potential employers
0
Comments
Is it something you literally have to stay at home for until you feel right again, or something that you could go into work with as long as you didn't have to move around much and could stay at a desk?
Also depends on the kinda job you want to do and company you want to work for. I think if it was me, working in a office bound job but with project work too and working for the company that I do, I think I would be able to just phone in each time I wasn't well and say I was working from home that day and do some project work that didn't actually require me to be in the office using their systems.
I think it's going to come down to the particular job you go for and the arrangements and attitudes of the company.
Am not sure on the legallities of it all - it's never come up where I work so I've never looked into it.
I think the thing is that you have a legitimate reason for not going into work for the times when you can't... so long as your doctor can back that up for you; I don't think they could sack you or anything for it.
Sorry I'm not much help. :yeees:
ETA - I do however think that cronic illness may well be covered by the disability discrimination act - and you should be able to tell any potential employers about this at your time of application. Depending on what it is your employer could also get money from access to work to make any changes you needed - so say you were to ill to leave the house but could work at home they could get money for a lap top - but I don't know that much about it either....
Therefore working from home wouldnt be an option, but i'll look into the disability thing, thanks for the replies
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/RightsAndObligations/DisabilityRights/DG_4001069
Tells you whats covered and whats not.
"Some conditions such as a tendency to set fires and hay fever, are specifically excluded."
OK I get the hay fever thing but setting things alight?
I assume they mean being an arsonist isn't a 'disability'.
Well I have since read my new hand-book for the job I've just been given and it says they can dismiss you for having too much time off work because of illness... So I guess I'm fucked if my condition gets worse again. Hey ho... I'd just have to go onto incapacity benefit until I was sorted again I supose.
I know it's a worry not knowing if you'll be able to hold down a job Blah... But I think you have to sort of live for the moment and not worry about it too much... you're never going to be completly stuck for money because if you can't work you can get benefits. Finding a sympathetic employer will help... and there are some out there.