Illness, management interview, ATHOS

[Flamunio]

I have been at royal mail for 15 months now and previous to the last 2 days i have had 1 day off in 14 months....

During the bad weather i slipped... (not over) and the bag swung round and i pulled my back... i informed my line manager who said i needed to come in and see how i get on the next day to which i complete under some discomfort...

Due to the pavements still being slippy etc i was given some spikes.. but these did not help the weight of the bag the following day was greater than the day before... and i could not complete and someone had to complete the delivery for me. (maybe the line manager himself)

I have been off for 2 days now (fiday and Sat) and my line manager says if i have tomorrow off i will need to have a management interview and a referral to ATHOS!!!

Can anyone enlighten me to this procedure... i have not been out the house since i arrived home from the dr's on thusday.. who said i have pulled my core muscles on my back and they could benefit from 2/3 weeks rest. Due to the line of work im in on delivery the back muscles are always in use... i was told to regularly take pain killers etc and generally take care of my back.

So all in all

What does the management interview entail.... and wtf is ATHOS?

To note i have a letter of my Dr stating the above... I even offered to go in and do light duties in the local office but they said they have nothing other than delivery even tho i dissagree but none the less can people explain.

[Flamunio]

it happened last monday the 14th? the next day i rang in to say i may not be in but went in and asked from some to be taken off me... which they took 1 row... the next day i said it's even worse but pessured me in saying stuff like if i don't come in i may get marked down as a warning for absence even tho i have had 1 day off in 15 months... on the 2nd day of telling him he took no pressure off me... offered me spikes... and that day the ground was frosty... and i was trying to keep my feet for all my walk my back slowed me down and by 1:30pm i still had a bag left which i didn't deliver due to my pain...

I am not old by any means so i just need recovery.... it's pure and simply down to the fact i lost my footing and the bag swung round and pulled my back

[BernardBresslaw]

Phone in sick tomorrow. Agree to an ATOS assessment first and foremost. Do NOT go against your doctors advice and try and go out on delivery. Stay off sick, agree to have an ATOS assessor phone you. They will ask you questions about what your doctor said, and what tasks you can and can't do. They will then set up a program of rehab for you, which will probably involve physio, paid for by Royal Mail, and a gradual return to work via light duties.

ATOS get a bad rep, but do everything through them and your manager can not rule against their advice and force you to work when you can't. You shouldn't be scared or intimidated by them.

Above all, do not try and work again with your back in that condition until ATOS contact you or your doctor advises otherwise. Make sure your doc gives you a sick note too.

Good luck.

[Flamunio]

Phone in sick tomorrow. Agree to an ATOS assessment first and foremost. Do NOT go against your doctors advice and try and go out on delivery. Stay off sick, agree to have an ATOS assessor phone you. They will ask you questions about what your doctor said, and what tasks you can and can't do. They will then set up a program of rehab for you, which will probably involve physio, paid for by Royal Mail, and a gradual return to work via light duties.

ATOS get a bad rep, but do everything through them and your manager can not rule against their advice and force you to work when you can't. You shouldn't be scared or intimidated by them.

Above all, do not try and work again with your back in that condition until ATOS contact you or your doctor advises otherwise. Make sure your doc gives you a sick note too.

Good luck.

ive been told that because this was an accident on duty.. it shouldn't go against my attendance tho by a few other people

[BernardBresslaw]

I wouldn't even worry about it at this stage. Even if you do get a stage warning, it will only be a first stage. It's nothing to worry about. If you don't get it sorted properly, you will keep having odd days off sick which will lead to far more attendance issues.

Trust me, I went through this with a slipped disc a few years back. Phone in sick tomorrow, agree to your managers request for ATOS referral, go back to the doctors and get a sick note, as you will not be able to go out on delivery. Then stay off sick until ATOS phone you, then take it from there. If your doctor is advising rest for two weeks, this is what you want on your sick note, and what you want to tell the ATOS rep when he or she calls you. They then sort out your rehab for you. Make sure you agree to private physio sessions as they help. They physio will also fill out forms for ATOS, letting them know what light duties you are able to do. He is also on your side, and won't gamble with your health.

Above all do not be intimidated into working with your back in this condition.

[flaminmoses]

ATOS get a bad rep, but do everything through them and your manager can not rule against their advice and force you to work when you can't. You shouldn't be scared or intimidated by them.

good advice.

atos do get a bad rep and its really down to the conflict of interests.

they are there for you to get help when you have a problem.
unfortunatley they are there for rm to just get you back to work.

its a big con unless you stick to your gp's side.

[southernjessy]

if you did your back in and are off sick, i take it the accident has been recorded in the ERICA accident reporting system

[BernardBresslaw]

ATOS get a bad rep, but do everything through them and your manager can not rule against their advice and force you to work when you can't. You shouldn't be scared or intimidated by them.

good advice.

atos do get a bad rep and its really down to the conflict of interests.

they are there for you to get help when you have a problem.
unfortunatley they are there for rm to just get you back to work.

its a big con unless you stick to your gp's side.

They will never go against your GP's advice though, as they realise they will leave themselves open to massive legal ramifications, hence he should get a sickness, or fitness note, from his doctor first, which will be what he can present to the ATOS adviser when they phone.

[General Mannerheim]

ATOS get a bad rep, but do everything through them and your manager can not rule against their advice and force you to work when you can't. You shouldn't be scared or intimidated by them.

good advice.

atos do get a bad rep and its really down to the conflict of interests.

they are there for you to get help when you have a problem.
unfortunatley they are there for rm to just get you back to work.

its a big con unless you stick to your gp's side.

They will never go against your GP's advice though, as they realise they will leave themselves open to massive legal ramifications, hence he should get a sickness, or fitness note, from his doctor first, which will be what he can present to the ATOS adviser when they phone.

Actually that s bolloxs as one of my colleagues has just been dismissed after getting to a stage 3 after he had a car accident and was told to stop off work by his GP and both the DOM and the Area Manager said that Atos overrule the GP,he also had his pay stopped.
I can scan you over the details if you want.

[pokos27]

early stage dont worry, just follow the rehab plan

[banddy]

early stage dont worry, just follow the rehab plan

don't worry !!??

a stage 1 - is the first step to a potential dismissal !!
it is stage1 of the attendance procedure
if you end up on a stage1, you will need to be very careful for up to 18months before you are off the attendance procedure.
you do not want to be on the attendance procedure, stage1, 2 or 3 (dismissal)


if you did have an accident on duty, make sure it is recorded in the accident book at work and make sure you inform the dwp and have a letter from them saying they have recorded it as an accident at work (or rather - you were injured whilst performing your employer's work activities)


if and when we get a vote on the new attendance procedure, the rolling 6month period within the rolling 12month period, will be changed to a fixed 6 month period and i believe that to be a major "enhancement" towards a better attendance procedure agreement.
so vote yes

[BernardBresslaw]

ATOS get a bad rep, but do everything through them and your manager can not rule against their advice and force you to work when you can't. You shouldn't be scared or intimidated by them.

good advice.

atos do get a bad rep and its really down to the conflict of interests.

they are there for you to get help when you have a problem.
unfortunatley they are there for rm to just get you back to work.

its a big con unless you stick to your gp's side.

They will never go against your GP's advice though, as they realise they will leave themselves open to massive legal ramifications, hence he should get a sickness, or fitness note, from his doctor first, which will be what he can present to the ATOS adviser when they phone.

Actually that s bolloxs as one of my colleagues has just been dismissed after getting to a stage 3 after he had a car accident and was told to stop off work by his GP and both the DOM and the Area Manager said that Atos overrule the GP,he also had his pay stopped.
I can scan you over the details if you want.

I presume he is appealing? I would be interested in the details, sure. Fire them over.

[POSTMAN]

if and when we get a vote on the new attendance procedure, the rolling 6month period within the rolling 12month period, will be changed to a fixed 6 month period and i believe that to be a major "enhancement" towards a better attendance procedure agreement.
so vote yes

Just been voted in...
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 15&t=50413" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BernardBresslaw]

Any idea if that is backdated for existing stages?

[music4essex]

ATOS get a bad rep, but do everything through them and your manager can not rule against their advice and force you to work when you can't. You shouldn't be scared or intimidated by them.

What happens if Atos recommend and then manager goes against there advice and twists it to his own accord to try and get you out, then what happens as this has happended to me 8 atos reports and manager dismisses them all
I have now been off 5 weeks with another 2 to go because my manager disregards there advice then puts me into a position that in my case work more then atos recommend or cut off which i did
I have another interview with them tomorrow

My advice is get atos on board as that leaves a paper trail if your manager tries it on never go in with out a CWU rep or friend take notes of what is said never trust managers notes as mine quite often disregards what i and my rep said

Good luck

Essex mum