I have reached rock bottom today so I suppose the only way is up? I had a meeting with HR and my boss. My job can’t be kept open because OH say I’m still unfit for work and it will be a long time before I am because I’m waiting for a knee operation. I have used up all of my ssp and occupational pay and am getting ESA but have to fill in ESA50 form for it to continue. I have to decide how to finish things - it looks like mutual agreement is my best option. I don’t know how this will affect ESA as I will get 3 months pay. I thought having the OH nurse say I was unfit would work in my favour but it seems it’s the opposite.
Dont know where you work but is there an illhealth retirement option available?
I am so sorry you find yourself in this position darling after everything you have been through. I dont know if there is a McMillan Centre by you or not if there is it might be worth checking with them if you can help you with any other options.
I have googled it, but you would need to check it out, that if your ESA is contribution based, which I presume it is, then it will not affect your ESA, again I am sure McMillan will be able to advise you on this.
Jak i find myself in a similar situation to you, i have been employed at my current position for 10 years in October love the job its currently full time but its an activity coordinator at a care home, so was advised to stay off during treatment as job very demanding and very full on finished treatment in Jan some hiccups with post treatment complications (breast lymphodema, chostochindttis) and some anxiety mood related stuff my return was delayed was ready to return with docs blessing last month to find out they will be making my post redundant, but not till October this devastated me as i was in such a good place physically and mentally for the first time in over a year they offered me a phased return but no job at the end of it unless i take a care assistant contract which physically as you will all agree is a no no, far to physically demanding in full health never mind when you have problems post treatment, i also have a severe spinal cord injury 13 years ago which involved major surgery rebuilding the cervical spine and has left me unable to carry out a physically demanding job which they are aware of
This whole business has left me feeling inadequate and on the scrap heap doc signed me off sick again i just wish they would give me my redundancy now so i could move on its another part of the old me that has been taken away from me and yeah not what i wanted i feel like I can’t move on xx
Sorry Helena that you are having to have the hysterectomy but you survived breast cancer so you’ll be ready for this x the advice you gave Jak sounds really helpful xx
Just a suggestion would your onc be more helpful re the sicknote thing and if you are working with anyone eg counselling at local Cancer Centre they could help you too, im suspecting your are TN if you have nothing to take as that is the case with me also good luck with everything Jak xx
Jak my counsellor from maggies said more or less the same as yours its absolutely rubbish isn’t it, chostochindttis is inflammation of the ribs from the rads!! Very painful at times i got a compression bra and some funny foam pads with bumps to wear in my bra and shown the massage, im not in a union wish I was, the Esa i qualified with the form i have it till November when they will review me ironically a month after my redundancy, im between a rock and a hard shoulder with this one i can’t see why they are waiting me wait so long if they want rid of me i found the form really demoralising made me feel really useless but at the moment i need money like you i have no wages since December that was only ever ssp my family think they might be hoping I’ll get sick and hand in my notice! I would be happy just to have my job but i ain’t leaving without anything
Im really annoyed they had given me all this extra stress and worry after everything i have been through Cancer is no joke and the treatment is bloody hard going especially if you have some complications but we are just a name and number and the end of the day!! My manager has been lovely and is furious byt she can’t do anything about it xx
Just fill in the form as if you are having your worst day thats what i was told to do good luck Jak
Triple Negative jak means my cancer had no hormone receptors and its has no other treatment pathways other than surgery chemo and rads and no hormone drugs or injections to help prevent a reoccurrence xx
Hi jak im lucky in some respects as ive dodged se from tge hormone blockers and chemo was the hard stuf! Which my onc says works very well wuth TN so I have really done everything that could be offered and am NED so hopefully it will stay that way
The chostochindttis was diagnosed at my follow up appointment no scans or anything just examined when describing pain explanation was its rib inflammation apperently very common in ladirs after rads i would ask your bc team if you are concerned about it mind, tganjs for the advice and yeah hope you can get some wages from them they really should pay you off they could address it as you are no longer able to carry out your duties due to knee and post treatment stuff, i think thats where mines headed the company are sneaky holding off with redundancy till the end of November its akl about money to these people xxx
I was prompted to chase you up, Jak, from your recent post on the “Progesterone, Fluffy cakes” thread, to see what’s going on with you.
Just wanted to say a friendly “Hi” and more importantly to also say, I sincerely hope you and Mishy get your employment issues sorted soon. Jeez, what a horribly tough battle for you’ both.
I note too, you’ve had the lovely Helena’s imput and helping. Bless her cotton gusset, she really is a gem.
Hi ladies just a quick update had the dreaded phone call today ’ unfortunately we cannot offer you anything other than a care worker contract nothing in budget for anything else, would you like to come and do a phased return anyway and take redundancy!!! It would probably be good for you and it is easier to find work when your in work’
Well my reply was No its not going to benefit my wellbeing actually when there won’t be a job ny October 31st!!
The next statement was’ we feel you are not recognising that its across the board for the post not any reflection on you or in any way personal ’ well im not thick im well aware its a mass redundacy of a post with an offer of severance if you don’t want to take the alternative however im unable to not up to being a carer physically so what choices do i have?!
1 resign and walk away with nothing
2 return on a 12 week phased return to then have to take redundancy and in the process lose my ESA
3 stay on sick leave and then get redundancy
4 be finished on grounds if ill health probably wouldn’t be as good a payment aa redundancy
This impending outcome does not come about till end October so in the meantime i have to remain in the limbo sick leave land which quite frankly is making me feel pretty irrelevant and inadequate atm and i still have to remember ‘This isn’t personal’ well it bloody well is to me ?
Sorry for the rant ladies but felt like screaming after that call today jak i hope you have got your situation sorted
On a much lighter note hsv5a great weekend everyone im going to de stress in my garden i think x
Oh dear Mishy! You rant away we are all here for you! I’m beginning to look for silver linings now but it’s all scarey and raw. If you get redundancy whilst signed off I don’t think it affects contributary ESA unless it is ssp - I might be wrong so check it out. Also have a read of the Equalities Act and see if it’s worth waving that at them.
Hi Delly Thanks for your concern. I’ve finally had my MRI on my knee so am waiting for an appointment to see which operation they will do. Financially we are looking into the effects of my enforced early retirement - providing I don’t lose my ESA we can manage by tightening our belts. Once ESA finishes we’ll have a rethink.
Hey ladies a quick update on the work situation had meeting Friday told as i couldn’t take the alternative offer of work as i wouldn’t be able to physically do it i have had to accept tge redundancy offer they have decided to bring it forward now to enable me to move on they we’re worried about the effects on my health by stringing the process out as my lovely doc and counsellor from maggies wrote supporting letters etc on the impact of this all was causing me anxiety and distress which was having a negative effect on my health /recovery i have accepted the offer its not fantastic but its better than nothing never been unemployed in my working life find this difficult to accept but my well-being and health is definitely now a priority for me now x Jak i hope you have managed to get some sorted out x
Jak - I had same problem with fit notes for ESA - letters arriving requesting fit note by nexf day, note sent through the post taking 2 weeks to get through the system -stressful - I discovered that you can take a picture of fit note on your phone /I pad and upload onto the DWP website - you get a text message to confirm they had received it - much easier
I’m sure any doctor will be able to do you s fit note from your medical notes .I had ESA assessment last week - applied in April - it’s a long process .
Hi Jak -the whole process is very stressful - I have not been out of work for 35 years !!!I
had breast cancer May 2015 ,womb cancer March 2017 -not been able to return to work following hysterectomy due to ongoing physical and mental health fallout .I have anxiety and joint pain on my fit note - but I have written that this is consequence of cancer treatment .Have been diagnosed with panic disorder and PTSD but to be honest it’s the physical stuff that is the most debilitating at the moment .The interview was a bit weird - think the woman took pitty in me - she kept me waiting 1.5 hours and as I suffer from anxiety and was in pain I just burst into tears when I went in ?.She asked how things affected my day to day life and went through medical history - I will have to wait and see the outcome ?
I have had a letter from DWP today saying I’ve been put in the support group for ESA. I am so relieved. The letter doesn’t say how long for, or if I will need an assessment - I assume not. Does mean I get a bit extra money too. Need to get my knee fixed and get through the next mammogram. I hope things are going well with you all?
That’s good Jak ,looks like you have escaped the dreaded health assessment .I still haven’t had an outcome from mine.You get £110 a week in the support group so quite a bit more .
Great news Jak really pleased to hear this will take alot of your stress away im officially finished now waiting fir redundancy i also need to ring them as have found out from a recent mri i have some nasty c spine stuff going on from spondolosis its causing neurological symptoms looking like surgery so def a game changer for me no longer able to look for work for hopefully just the forseebble but i don’t know till i see neuro hopefully they will take this into consideration as my GP has stated im unable to work with this going on incase of further injury risk fingers crossed i don’t really relish not working for the rest of my life im only 47!! I will get bored also need to be sensible though health first
Jak you can now concentrate on you what a weight of your shoulders isn’t it yhat you now don’t have to worry about it as it was causing you significant stress as was my situation get redundancy next week apparently esa contributions based isn’t means tested so redundancy shouldn’t affect it but will help massively with housing costs Council tax etc and winter fuel bills it hasn’t been bad this summer for that has it ladies but skimping on the heating was annoying last year don’t want to this year!!!