Advice Needed

[MisterSitter]

I'm an insulin dependant diabetic and work as cover for several rural rounds and walks. Recently I've been finding it too much for me physically. Most of the rounds I do are extremely leggy and the bags are getting heavier and heavier. My sugar levels are up and down like a yo-yo which leaves me either shaky and disorientated or busting for a piss every ten minutes. Either state seems incompatible with the job.

I started on a 25 hour part time contract in Jan 2008 working collections 2pm-7pm and got the rural cover job in July 2010. I was told I was on a temporary full time contract when I switched so does that work both ways? Can I say that I want to go back to lates?

Since July I've had 3 Saturdays off, despite the fact I have kids and constantly ask for a free weekend. I keep getting Tuesdays off, 3 in the last 4 and next week too. In all, over half my days off since July have been Tuesdays. When I complain my boss says it's because I'm a floater and there's nothing he can do. I feel I'm doing more hours than everyone else and get the crap end of the stick day in day out.

I really can't go on as things are. I get no time to recover and just feel like giving up completely but really want to keep my job.
Can I insist on something less physical (and stay full time) or am I stuck with what I've got?

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

I'm an insulin dependant diabetic and work as cover for several rural rounds and walks. Recently I've been finding it too much for me physically. Most of the rounds I do are extremely leggy and the bags are getting heavier and heavier. My sugar levels are up and down like a yo-yo which leaves me either shaky and disorientated or busting for a piss every ten minutes. Either state seems incompatible with the job.

I started on a 25 hour part time contract in Jan 2008 working collections 2pm-7pm and got the rural cover job in July 2010. I was told I was on a temporary full time contract when I switched so does that work both ways? Can I say that I want to go back to lates?

Since July I've had 3 Saturdays off, despite the fact I have kids and constantly ask for a free weekend. I keep getting Tuesdays off, 3 in the last 4 and next week too. In all, over half my days off since July have been Tuesdays. When I complain my boss says it's because I'm a floater and there's nothing he can do. I feel I'm doing more hours than everyone else and get the crap end of the stick day in day out.

I really can't go on as things are. I get no time to recover and just feel like giving up completely but really want to keep my job.
Can I insist on something less physical (and stay full time) or am I stuck with what I've got?

ask to get refered to atos, as far as i know diabetes is covered under the dda so royalmail would be duty bound to attempt to make a reasonable adjustment to your working life to accomodate your disability, but be aware this adjustment might not necessarily help you with the situation regarding kids, it may in fact work against, ie if they manage to get you a job indoors it could mean less or no saturdays or more awkward hours which would benifit your condition but not for seeing your kids

[kimski1976]

if your still on a temp they would prob move you back down to 25 (knowing how royal mail works) if you was made to perm though then you would stay perm.

[MisterSitter]

I had a chat with my boss again this morning and he said that he's gonna put me on driving duties as much as he can. He also told me that after 12 months temporary full-time becomes permanant so if I hang on until July and switch to something else then it'll become a permanant full-time contract.
Today was much lighter and I got round in good time without any problems so feel 100 times better.

[ulster postie]

JUST TAKE TO AN E.T. AND LET THEM DECIDE IF THE EMPLOYER NEEDS TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT MY MONEY IS ON THEY WOULD

[POSTMAN]

He also told me that after 12 months temporary full-time becomes permanant so if I hang on until July and switch to something else then it'll become a permanant full-time contract.

Is the above right anyone,it doesn't sound it to me,bullshit?

Also...

and the bags are getting heavier and heavier.

Why would you make heavier bags and kill yourself?
Make more of them not heavier ones.

[sheff postie]

Try and get an indoor job. You can get this classed as a DDA if you have not done so already.

[clashcityrocker]

There are probably lots of insulin dependant diabetics who work as posties.
You need to try and find one who can give you advice on managing your diabetes while on delivery (I know many find it difficult at first) and you need to seek specialist advice from a diabetes nurse or clinic.
The problem isn't being diabetic. The problem is managing it properly.

[kimski1976]

ok a temp doesnt become perm after 12 months. this is up to the regional manager, and yours. ive bene on a temp for almost 13 months now. the way it used to work was managers just sent a request to HR (i think) and they could do it themselves. but now with RM hating to make people up to full time everything about contracts will go through the big guy, the regional manager. it is VERY unlikely that anyone will be made perm (im sorry to say) until the revision has took place. but once your made perm, you can apply for any other job in RM and expect to stay perm. if i want to go back to walking now, i would go back down to 20 hours, as the position i got was for a full time permanent, even though they decided to just make me temp, the bastards.

[MisterSitter]

and the bags are getting heavier and heavier.

Why would you make heavier bags and kill yourself?
Make more of them not heavier ones.

But then I'll have to walk back to the bag drop to get the rest of the bundles. I'm trying to avoid more walking.

[smokerjim]

and the bags are getting heavier and heavier.

Why would you make heavier bags and kill yourself?
Make more of them not heavier ones.

But then I'll have to walk back to the bag drop to get the rest of the bundles. I'm trying to avoid more walking.

You need to ask yourself what is more important...minimising walking or minimising long term health issues with your back, shoulders and other joints. If needs be, look at putting in more hand to hand or safe bag drops - if that is something that affects the management of your diabetes, I'm sure extra bag drops could be described as RM "making reasonable adjustment"

[MisterSitter]

and the bags are getting heavier and heavier.

Why would you make heavier bags and kill yourself?
Make more of them not heavier ones.

But then I'll have to walk back to the bag drop to get the rest of the bundles. I'm trying to avoid more walking.

You need to ask yourself what is more important...minimising walking or minimising long term health issues with your back, shoulders and other joints. If needs be, look at putting in more hand to hand or safe bag drops - if that is something that affects the management of your diabetes, I'm sure extra bag drops could be described as RM "making reasonable adjustment"

But I don't have my own round, that's the problem. Managing diabetes is all about routine and if the routine is all over the place and I don't know what I'm gonna be doing from one day to the next then managing it becomes problematic.

[smokerjim]

and the bags are getting heavier and heavier.

Why would you make heavier bags and kill yourself?
Make more of them not heavier ones.

But then I'll have to walk back to the bag drop to get the rest of the bundles. I'm trying to avoid more walking.

You need to ask yourself what is more important...minimising walking or minimising long term health issues with your back, shoulders and other joints. If needs be, look at putting in more hand to hand or safe bag drops - if that is something that affects the management of your diabetes, I'm sure extra bag drops could be described as RM "making reasonable adjustment"

But I don't have my own round, that's the problem. Managing diabetes is all about routine and if the routine is all over the place and I don't know what I'm gonna be doing from one day to the next then managing it becomes problematic.

Fair enough ( and excuse my ignorance above, and following if needs be ), but maybe you can approach your H&S rep if you have one, or your rep, explain the situation to him, and ask if he'll support you in asking the DOM for you to be given one fixed round ( there's bound to be one vacant ), then in a few months time, with your diabetes / work needs stabillised if your DOM wants you to know more walks he could move you to another one for a few months, etc, etc. To my mind with your health needs, that seems like RM "making reasonable adjustment", but chopping & changing your duties from week to week or even day to day is at best thoughtlessness.