Just got out of hospital and about to get sacked :(

[mree]

I was admitted to hospital on Monday night with a bad kidney infection, was on morphine initially and IV antibiotics until this morning, got discharged this afternoon with tramadol and more antibiotics. I was on a final sickness warning from work, and when I phoned my manager today (I work Tuesday and Wednesday night and Saturdays in a call centre) his response wasnot to ask me how I was, but to ask me to think about what it would do to my sickness levels and could I not come in and do paperwork! This makes me think I'm very likely to be sacked when I next go in. I'm still in pain and the tramadol is making me feel odd, and I really don't think I'm up to it. I was fed up enough already as I've missed the last week of placement (I'm a 1st year student nurse), and the whole being in hospital and in agony was pretty scary, but I'm just miserable now.

[gizmo111]

Hope you are feeling better soon. Have you asked if the placement can be extended to make up the last week? Remember your health is the most important thing.

Sorry can't help with the call centre, but I'm sure someone will.

[mree]

The placement isn't the problem, they've been totall fine about it, I was actually admitted to the ward next door t the one I've been working on, and the staff were absolutely lovely about it. It's the call centre I'm worried about, nothing short of being in hospital would've stopped me going in, but obviously as I was hooked up to a drip and off my head on morphone, as well as being dangerously ill, stopped me going! Thank you for your kind words x

[poppynurse]

How on earth are you managing to work so many hours whilst doing your nurse training??

[mree]

It is hard, and I know I won't be able to do it forever as my training has to come first, but for the time being I don't have a choice, the rent must be paid and the bursary only just covers it, leaving nothing for anything else!

[old_andrew2007]

Hi
Don't go in until you are fit enough

[mree]

Thanks Andrew, I'm absolutely fine now, just got another couple of days of antibiotics to make sure, but I'm ok, no pain or anything now.

I'm going back to work tomorrow night (I had a holiday in for Saturday anyway, so technically have only missed 2 x 4hr shifts because of being in hospital), any advice anyone can give me on what I can say to them when they start going on about disciplinary hearings etc. would be gratefully received! I have a certificate stamped and signed by the hospital giving the dates I was in.

[Allwood]

Typically of today’s government no employees rights whatsoever because this government wants everyone in work and they will exploit the disable and people who are ill so that they do not claim incapacity benefit. Maybe if they got the MP's their snouts in the trough then we would all be better off. We are not able to claim expenses of up to £250.00 without a receipt can you imagine going into work and asking for £250.00 give any excuse and with a receipt of what you used it on, employee if lucky would be laugh at and if you get a manger on a bad you would be out of the door.

What a divided world we live in nowadays. The gap is getting so big now between the rich and poor and if you are at the bottom of the pile be prepared for any old s**t to thrown at you. But you must be out of work and claiming any kind of benefit, except for the illegal immigrants now if you go and tell the government that you are here illegally then they will give you £4,000 grant to go back to your own country and start up a business and if that business does not work then you can always coma back again and go and get a another 4k of our taxes. Also if you have children from the any of the eastern countries and have children there you can claim child benefit for them does not matter how many children you have you can get benefit for them. Also if you religion is that of one where you are allowed lots of wives then you can claim for them also not sure up to how many. I am sure someone here will let us know?

[mree]

Erm, thanks, but as I don't claim expenses of any amount, I'm from the UK, I'm a student of no particular religion and I don't have any children or wives at all, not really sure how that will help me when I go in to work at the call centre tomorrow?

I'm really more after advice on how I can handle the inevitable disciplinary hearing that's about to come my way, and what to do if they sack me!

[Allwood]

It is obviously not going to you or any other person and indeed myself when I go back to work, my employer would not provide me with seating when I had an injury. The point I was trying to make is the laws regarding employment is back in the 19th century and employers are taking full advantage of it. Indeed if you are in a union it is hard to get them to do anything for you without constantly asking them to do something for the subs you are paying them.

There is lots of money in the pot for other things but not enough for people who are ill and disabled. Call centers are another employers are taking full advantage of employment laws. We are not in the position, unlike the government when things go wrong to say the laws are wrong, how would that stand up with employers but that is what has been in the news about MP's paying over 4k for taxis for partner and also the news about the same MP using air miles that was gained during government business for his family to fly down from Scotland for a get together and this person is earning £130k per annum.

[mree]

These are all very interesting points, maybe you should start your own thread?

[Allwood]

Sorry for getting off your subject but your employer cannot dismiss you for being ill although they will try, are you temporary or are you permanent if you are permanent then you have redress if they dismiss you for being ill and you do not have to supply a medical certificate until you are off for the first 7 days. Wait until you go into work tomorrow and see what happens and you sounds like the ones that I have and this is a very large store, but I have taken out a grievance against them because for lack of due care which they are obliged to do for their employees, if the do not make allowances make sure you take note of all that has been said and done to you put in a grievance if you are ill or disable. Stand up for yourself and be strong these guys are bullies and need to the taken to task. I know it difficult but it will be an experience for you in further employment.

[Mrs_Ryan]

I totally sympathise with you - I was in EXACTLY the same boat myself. I was a student nurse and I had to work 70 hour weeks (35 in a job and 35 in placement) to keep my head above water. Eventually I had a breakdown and had to quit my course... I was in the same situation as you, I was in hospital with a bowel infection while working in a call centre, like you was seriously ill but when I got back I was put on a disciplinary due to sickness.... if they sack you take em to a tribunal. have you thought about doing NHS Professionals instead? Loads of people on my course did that, and you can pick and choose what shifts you do and its fantastic experience. Sounds like you need to look for something else! Good luck... if ever you need a moan to someone who understands, pm me. I know EXACTLY what ur going through! Mrs R xx

[mree]

Thanks for the advice and the kind words - the silly thing is, I was about to quit the call centre anyway as I've been taken on as a bank HCA at my local trust, I'm just waiting for all my forms etc to come through! I will fight to not be sacked, it's more the principle of the thing than anything else, I've never been sacked from a job in my life! I have had quite a bit of time off sick, since I started the course I seem to pick up every bug going, especially when I'm on placement.

I have to go in tonight, I have my certificate to prove I was in hospital, and I'm past caring what they do to me now. Fingers crossed everyone!

[mree]

Just a quick update before bed - I didn't get sacked, there's going to be no disciplinary, and I've complained about the manager who wanted me to come in and do paperwork when I'd just been discharged.

[Mrs_Ryan]

oh well done you!! thats really good news. Glad to see youre already on the way to doing NHS professionals
i know what you mean about the bug thing, its rubbish!!! Not all call centres are bad... im working for an absolutely fantastic one now where everyone is brilliant, but when I was at uni I had a job in call centre where I took some time off cos I got tonsillitis and they rang me cos they thought I was deliberately not coming in cos they had told me off!!!!