Triggered Sickness Absence Procedure at work

Soldato
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Edinburgh
I was off work 3 days in total last year which triggered the 1st stage of the new absense procedure at work.

Then last thursday I had to call in sick but the 3 days from last year still carry over so now I have reached stage 2, which is a formal meeting with the business manager and then referral to occupational health. The next stage after this could result in a dismissal from work.

Here is the complicated part:

About 3 years ago I was diagnosed with Crohns disease and had an operation, this happend during my employment in the same job I am in at the moment.

I have never wanted my crohns to affect my life after the operation but the truth is I do get flair ups, which I keep to myself and just get on with things.

3 of the 4 days off work have been from flair ups but I didn't tell anyone this and just put down as upset stomach/sickness. Which is technically true but I know it was linked to the crohns.

After 3 years of grinding it out I have a great chance of promotion at work and recently got transferred to a different location to help out as they have been a man down for over a year. If everything works out I could increase my pay by two grades, which would be fantastic.

Is it time I come out and explain about the crohns? From checking online, crohns should be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act. I worry this will affect my chance at promotion and I also hate the thought of perhaps being treated differently due to the crohns.

Any advice? I am tempted not to mention it and just ride it out until the promotion comes and just hope I don't get ill before then.
 
3 days WTF talk about harsh procedure, ours is 10 days in any 12months and excludes any serious conditions.
also crohns is a disability if its lasted 12 months or more and effects your day to day life and they legally cant dish out warnings for disabilities as thats disability discrimination under the equality act 2010
 
It's a new council policy brought in last year. Guess it was to stop all the BS sickdays that happen. 3 sick days over 12 months or 6 days in a row triggers the 1st level, it then goes onto level 2 which is what I am now on. After that they have grounds to dismiss you apparently.

Not sure if the council has actually followed through on that threat to anyone reaching level 3 though.
 
p.s you need to mention its related to crohns!!!!! they might exclude those days and probably send you to occupational health, this is to your advantage to disclose things as had you done it in the first place you wouldnt be 1 stage from dismissal, I still think their procedures are ridiculous 3-4 days for a warning wtf, that wouldnt stand up if someone got sacked for like 5 days off and took it to an ET
 
I thought the BS sickies were from those who had a pattern of bunking off a Monday because they drank too much over the weekend. They should be looking at that instead. 3 sick days over 12 months is nothing.
 
The reason I am holding back telling them, is due to this possible promotion. I also only got this chance because the last guy was on long term sick for over a year and looks like he isn't coming back.

In my mind I just keep thinking the last thing they want to hear is that the guy they might promote has a long term health problem...
 
I'd tell them about it as it's possible the absenteeism will harm your chances of promotion more than them knowing about the Crohn's. Also it just seems sensible to let your employer know about any long term medical problems.
 
You wont get dismissed for having Crohns. Let them know all about your illness, let them know how often it flares up and that you work through the majority of it. Explain the full extent of the illness and they will take no further action.
 
The reason I am holding back telling them, is due to this possible promotion. I also only got this chance because the last guy was on long term sick for over a year and looks like he isn't coming back.

In my mind I just keep thinking the last thing they want to hear is that the guy they might promote has a long term health problem...

errr they cant do that FFS listen to people! if they go oh we cant promote him he has a long term medical problem that is discrimination, its gonna go down a lot better than that guy on stage 3 of sickness monitoring, because they dont know you have a condition that is covered under the equality act
 
Thats ridiculous, I have 3-4 days off a year due to migraines - I'd be out of work if every business took that approach.
 
Talk to occ health and explain your chrones I had the same with IBS they gave me extra toilet breaks when needed and days off for doctors hospitals and flare ups. Never was an issue after that and nothing is said except to HR. not to your managers etc.
 
Thanks for the advice, my formal meeting is due a week on thursday. I will tell the business manager everything and take it from there.
 
Thats ridiculous, I have 3-4 days off a year due to migraines - I'd be out of work if every business took that approach.

ive had 14 days this year alone due to operations, doesnt trigger our 10 day sick procedure as its a serious underlying medical condition and is exempted from the warnings total, I work for a massive government department so expect local government to be similar in writing off absences relating to underlying conditions
 
3 days sick in 1 year and youre on Stage 1 telling-off ?!?!?!?!

Christ, Im in double figures sickness (aka 'sickies') and were only half way through the year so far. Your employer sounds anal, but more likely, my employer is just sh*te lol
 
4.8.2 The corporate trigger level for the council is set at 6 cumulative days within a rolling
12 month period or 3 separate occasions of absence within a rolling 12 - month
period. This period may be extended for the purposes of invoking the next stage of
the procedure where a recurring pattern or trend begins to emerge out with the rolling
reference period.
 
I was off 6 days last year! however I havnt been off ill now since December 2010 and nearly half way through the year, it's an improvement however 2 x sickness squits could mess me up
 
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