My Job Being Advertised Whilst I Am Off Sick

[***inca***]

I have been with my company since May. I am not on any kind of probabtionary period and am on a full contract with private healcare entitlements etc.

 

In this time period I have been given some extra responsibility and was given a ncie pay rise. I also received a bonus (as did all employees) after a couple of months (they dish them out quarterly)..

 

Anyway I have ben off sick for the past four weeks. Work have seen how ill and poorly I have been. I am being signed off sick by my GP and am under a private Consultant with our work healthcare scheme. I am due to have some 'investigative tests' later this month.

 

I have kept in touch with my boss at work and also the HR lady, keeping them informed as to what is happening, they also know that because of all of this I have been feeling very low and down.

 

I thought something was wrong when I stopped hearing from my boss (a friend) and my work colleagues (a team of women) I would email/text to no reply, and if they had to send a reply to me because I had asked them something specifiic I would get a one word answer.

 

When I had my second 'welfare phone call' from HR I was told that they were getting 'niggly and funny' because on my Facebook I had written that I was having a can of Guiness and a piece of chocolate cake. I told her that as I said on my status my GP had told me about the Guiness as my iron levels are very low, hence why I am also feeling giddy/faint a lot of the time! I explained to her that it doesn't matter what I eat I still feel ill anyway. She said to be careful etc and in all honesty I was gobsmacked at their childish tittle-tattle behaviour.

 

Anyway I don't know who said it but I can imagine the context in which it was said (I work in a VERY bitchy office) and was quite upset about it as they have seen the pain I am in daily.

 

I emailed my boss, told her what was happening with appts etc and also said that I wasn't happy about comments that had been made and explained the circumstances to her. I said that until I was told otherwise I would eat/drink what I liked!

 

I received a reply saying that it wasn't meant in a nasty way etc.

 

After this the one word text messages ontinued and one of the girls I am really close to at work wouldn't answer my calls/texts which I found odd as we were very close.

 

I can't think why they are being funny, would they like to be sat at home in pain, awaiting horrible tests and earning £80 a week??

 

Last week I discovered that my boss/friend had deleted me on Facebook, I asked her why - no reply.

 

The next day I find an email from another colleague asking for the dvd's back that she had loaned me.

 

That same day I find my job advertised in the paper - I text my close friend asking if it's my position - guess what??? No reply!

 

This morning I have emailed HR. They have a right to tell me, surely?

 

They did this to another girl about 3 months ago. She has been off sick for the past year on and off. Our boss would braodcast what was happening with her across the office and laugh/bitch about it. Any email this poor girl would send in would be forwarded to our little team for us to then comment/bitch about.

 

This girl used to be part time, then went full time. They decided to advertise her job and they found someone to replace her. They have said they are going to reduce her hours down and move her to a different area of the office doing something menial where it doesn't matter if she comes in or not.

 

I have always been full time, and after seeing my job in the paper last week I have a feeling they are planning on doing the same with me .

 

I guess what I am asking you is if they are allowed to do this?

 

It just seems so very unfair. I am at home not well, stressed, worried about what these tests might find and I don't need the added stress of office bitches/tittle tattle either, let alone the stress of knowing my job is gone!!

 

If any of you could be of any help I would really appreciate it.

 

Thank you.

[minmac]

I am sorry I cant help you as I have no experience withthis.

 

However what I will say is that I can imagine your fellow workmates are acting in this way because they feel hard done by. At the beginning they probably were worried about you, however after you posted your comment on facebook, it makes them think why should you be sat at home drinking alcohol and eating cake when they are stuck at work doing their work and yours. Unfortunately your comment made them forget you were actually ill immediately and made them resent you, it looks to them you are having a blast and they are struggling with the extra work. I think this because 1) your job is being advertised and 2) the last girl got moved so '' it doesn't matter if she comes in or not.'', this shows that they need an extra person in the office.

[andydd]

I have always been extremely dubious about adding work colleagues to my facvebook for this very reason, I also don't use my real name.

 

Although eating and drinking are quite normal I can see how it does look a bit 'dodgy', it could appear that you were gloating, getting paid and enjoying alcohol and luxuries while your colleagues worked.

 

As for the actual situation, i cant see how they could employ someone else in your role unlress they actually fire you, redundancy wouldnt be an option as clearly your role is still there. To fire you instantly would need some kind of gross misconduct.

 

Andy

[Wobbling_Wookie]

Without knowing what your actual illness is, it is possible that you may be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act. This automatically covers HIV, cancer and multiple sclerosis, but also covers many other illnesses if you fall within the rules. Have a look here and see what you think.

 

If you think you may fall within the definition of a disability contact ACAS and get some advice, they should be able to give you some more advice. Although it would all depend on what a reasonable adjustment would be deemed to be.

 

Also, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, and to ask an unkownable question, how long is this likely to go on for? As they may consider retirement on ill-health ground.

[minmac]

Are they advertising your job as temporary or permanent ? They may just know you will be off for a while and are hiring a temp while you are away, its not uncommon for places to do that, my old work used to do it all the time.