Royal Mail Chat Knowledge

[SexyLegs]

Hi All

A good friend of mine who works for Royal Mail is currently off sick due to stress at work:-

They are number 10 on the seniority list, they are a reserve, yet at least 3 people below them are in ft duties with a rolling day off, they are also not given 1 in 6 saturdays off, in fact they've only had 2 saturdays off this year which falls well below the agreed 1 in 6 saturdays that all staff at RM should get so the question is:-

They have received a call from the office asking for permission to be referred to ATOS, they are going to refuse this permission, what are the likely repercussions of doing this?

Feel free to ask any questions and I will do my best to answer on my friends behalf.

Thanks for your help
Sexylegs

[triggd]

There is no fall out if you refuse them permission,they should send you a letter in which it states that it is entirely voluntary, but from experiance i would allow them access to your file.

[SexyLegs]

They have been told this is all covered by something called DDA, what is this and how would it affect this case?

[demon]

dont think stress is coverd by dda

[TrueBlueTerrier]

dont think stress is covered by the DDA

Well Yes and No:
http://www.teachingexpertise.com/articl ... ation-3343" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - from 2009 so it may be out of date:

Disability and stress

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Now the Equality Act 2010) must be considered separately from other discrimination legislation. As stress per se is not an illness listed under the World Health Organisation's international classification of diseases, it does not fall within the legal definition of disability.

But stress-related illnesses such as clinical depression do fall within the definition. Employers must not discriminate, and should make reasonable adjustments in the workplace to help their staff avoid stress-inducing situations.

However: http://www.lexcel.co.uk/news/stress-at-work/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is specific to the 2010 act

Failure to address complaints of work-related stress may also expose employers to claims under the Equality Act 2010, for example where there is harassment or bullying relating to a person's disability, sex, race or other protected characteristic. The other legal claim that can be made is for constructive unfair dismissal, where an employee feels they have no choice but to resign. Claims should be avoidable if steps are taken to discuss the situation with the employee in question and take action to remove or alleviate the root of the stress.

[POSTMAN]

Is the stress to do with not having Saturdays off? Sounds like a small office and sorting that out wouldn't be hard,although it's not hard in a big office either.
Rep?

[thechemisyshop]

depression is covered by the DDA - have had 2 periods of long term abscence -(about 3 months each time ) for depression
there was also stress related abscences before this - if you have a proven medical history of stress and depression you are DEFINITELY
covered by DDA - i was up for a stage 3 and all these absences were removed and i was back down to a stage 1

[SexyLegs]

Postman - It's lots of things:-

They approached the DOM about 6 months ago and informed him there were at least 3 less senior colleagues in more senior positions, DOM shrugged and said he'd look into it, 6 months later and still nothing done.

They've had only 2 Saturdays off this entire calendar year, they are a reserve but my understanding is they should still get the 1 in 6?

They recently got back from leave to be thrust straight into training on a new duty, they were only given 1 day training when they should have got at least 2, so they trained Monday, did the round themselves on the Tuesday, they were given the Wednesday off so they forgot half and then they were left to get on with it Thursday, Friday and Saturday, on the Saturday an absorption round was done by a member of staff so they had all their drop bags and packets on top of everything else, to make matters worse they saw someone less senior to them driving home at 10.30 when they still had 3 hours + to do and that person had been told to help when they'd finished.

They constantly get moved at 8am after they've prepped half their board to a duty where nothing has been done.

There is a re-sign early next year so they are just so pissed off they are going sick until the re-sign, at which stage they should get their own duty.

So, if they refuse to be referred to ATOS what can the Management do, if anything, they think ATOS will badger them back when they are clearly stressed out by the management actions, they saw their GP who signed them off with work related stress..........I was under the impression they had to be very careful with WRS, what are their options?

[keithposty]

you can refuse an atos referal

my own personal experience is they are no more than witch doctors getting a 200 quid referal every time

but

ATOS are the employers occupational health advisor, good or bad, you will be ill advised not to co-operate

at the end of the day your own gp either signs you off work or a phased return with a sick note

so co-operate with any ATOS referal and then ignore

then ram the doctors chit under your doms nose

[POSTMAN]

Is this a repless office and a I don't give a f**k what is going on to my colleague office?

[SexyLegs]

No - There is a rep but it's a med to large office, over 100 staff so 1 persons problems seem to be deemed unimportant, the colleague is actually pretty depressed with the whole situation!

I think it's the seniority thing that grinds with them the most, is staying off with stress their best option?

[twobags]

sounds to me like harrassment with a discreet use of bullying / intimidation , is there any kind of history there , i would feel un easy if i was being treated this way are others experiencing similar things if not then watch the road for constructive dismissal 2 saturdays off in 10 months hard to swallow ?

[SexyLegs]

As I say they know the most rounds in the office, so you could say it makes sense to move them but they feel like they've done their time as a reserve, coming up 5 years.

There are at least 3 ft staff less senior than them with settled dutys and plenty of pt staff less senior with settled dutys, all with a rolling day off, all they want is a rolling day off, preferably with a settled duty as it's something they have never had.

They see no light at the end of the tunnel because they were one of the last people made up to ft, so anyone new who joins is a pt'er, so they think they'll be messed around like this for ever, even with a resign coming there is no guarantee they will get their own duty, yeah they should pick ahead of the 3 ft'ers who have settled dutys but it's potentially not going to help if they end up a reserve again so what other options do they have.

I told them to sign for a pt duty and take on some schedules to make the hours up which they are thinking about!

[twobags]

5 years as a reserve is a long time,sounds like they are being stitched gotta wonder what the rep is doing.