Advice on leaving job through long-term sickness
Discussion
Well, it's come to the crunch point when I'm going to have to give up my job at age just 56 due to heart failure.
I'd been working as a school lab technician for 18 months when I suddenly developed heart failure in June and had to immediately go to A&E, and ended up in hospital for more than a month. Many pills everyday have fixed all my symptoms and I feel very healthy but my heart is permanently damaged and I cannot get a doctors certificate to do any work at present. The school have held my job open since June, with a temp covering my work, but I have come to the end of the line and cannot keep them hanging on any longer. (Additionally I have an autoimmune disorder which leaves me very tired after exercise, so that's another factor).
Should I resign from the school, or get them to dismiss me, to get the best financial outcome?
I was entitled to 2 months full pay, 2 months half pay and some statutory sick pay, but that's all finished. Presume I can't get Jobseekers Allowance if I don't have a fit certificate. My wife works fulltime with a modest income. I don't think I can claim ESA as I am perfectly capable of working, except I lack a doctor's certificate - or can I? The school certainly wouldn't let me work without a fit certificate, and I'm going to find it hard to find any other reputable job that will.
Can anyone help???
I'd been working as a school lab technician for 18 months when I suddenly developed heart failure in June and had to immediately go to A&E, and ended up in hospital for more than a month. Many pills everyday have fixed all my symptoms and I feel very healthy but my heart is permanently damaged and I cannot get a doctors certificate to do any work at present. The school have held my job open since June, with a temp covering my work, but I have come to the end of the line and cannot keep them hanging on any longer. (Additionally I have an autoimmune disorder which leaves me very tired after exercise, so that's another factor).
Should I resign from the school, or get them to dismiss me, to get the best financial outcome?
I was entitled to 2 months full pay, 2 months half pay and some statutory sick pay, but that's all finished. Presume I can't get Jobseekers Allowance if I don't have a fit certificate. My wife works fulltime with a modest income. I don't think I can claim ESA as I am perfectly capable of working, except I lack a doctor's certificate - or can I? The school certainly wouldn't let me work without a fit certificate, and I'm going to find it hard to find any other reputable job that will.
Can anyone help???
This topic might be better suited to (and, perhaps, get a higher quality of response in...) the Jobs & Employment Matters sub-forum: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&...
They will have a policy that covers this under retirement due to ill health that's where to start. You'll get exactly what the policy says and nothing else from them. Some places pay a weeks pay for every year worked upto a max of 13 weeks i believe. Once thats happened and you are unemployed then I assume jsa or whatever is available to you.
Edited by 200Plus Club on Monday 4th March 06:32
Do not resign!
The organisation will take you through a capability procedure where, from the info you've given, they are likely to dismiss you on the basis of being unlikely to resume duties in the short to medium term with no redeployment or adjustment options available.
If you resign you will find access to benefits problematic.
Likely you will be entitled to be paid your contractual notice and ant untaken accrued holiday only.. unless you are in the pension, in which case the assessment of likely future employment is paramount.
Good luck with everything.... and speak to an employment lawyer sharpish if you don't like what you're hearing.
J
The organisation will take you through a capability procedure where, from the info you've given, they are likely to dismiss you on the basis of being unlikely to resume duties in the short to medium term with no redeployment or adjustment options available.
If you resign you will find access to benefits problematic.
Likely you will be entitled to be paid your contractual notice and ant untaken accrued holiday only.. unless you are in the pension, in which case the assessment of likely future employment is paramount.
Good luck with everything.... and speak to an employment lawyer sharpish if you don't like what you're hearing.
J
VFK44 said:
I don't think I can claim ESA as I am perfectly capable of working, except I lack a doctor's certificate - or can I?
Sounds like the doctor doesn't think you're perfectly capable of working?Similar heart issue happened to a friend of mine, at about the same age as you. He wanted to go back but neither his consultant or his firms's own doctor would hear of it, although he says he's fine. They're paying him through the company critical illness policy and have told him that will continue until he reaches retirement age.
I was in the same boat as you. I have stage 3 HF following a heart attack and had to leave work a few years ago.
I would explore your options on Universal Credit too, but with your wife at work full-time (and any savings over about £16K - I think??) you may be unable to make a claim.
https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/eligibility
If you do feel well enough to work, maybe explore some light P/T work?
Good luck.
I would explore your options on Universal Credit too, but with your wife at work full-time (and any savings over about £16K - I think??) you may be unable to make a claim.
https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/eligibility
If you do feel well enough to work, maybe explore some light P/T work?
Good luck.
OP were you a member of the LGPS?
If so you should explore (and indeed ask the school's HR team) the LGPS Retirement Due to Ill health, It can be a long process, but does work.
https://www.lgpsmember.org/tol/thinking-leaving-il...
Edited to add: I missed the fact you were only there for 18 months, another reason not to resign, as you need to be in LGPS for 2 years to benefit from ill-health retirement. Unless you had another role and were already member of LGPS.
If you are not in LGPS then this is moot - but seek some professional advice.
regards
FG
If so you should explore (and indeed ask the school's HR team) the LGPS Retirement Due to Ill health, It can be a long process, but does work.
https://www.lgpsmember.org/tol/thinking-leaving-il...
Edited to add: I missed the fact you were only there for 18 months, another reason not to resign, as you need to be in LGPS for 2 years to benefit from ill-health retirement. Unless you had another role and were already member of LGPS.
If you are not in LGPS then this is moot - but seek some professional advice.
regards
FG
Edited by FunkyGibbon on Monday 4th March 10:37
Having HF is not necessarily a bar to continuing working. But if your overall health problems indicate you are unable to work, then go to your GP and get a "unfit to work" note.
You should be eligible for support under Universal Credit pending on your finances. If your GP signs you off work permanently, then PIP could be a something worth considering which doesn't take your finances into consideration.
If your GP thinks you are fit for work, then talk to the school about putting a programme in place that will ease you back into work gently.
You should be eligible for support under Universal Credit pending on your finances. If your GP signs you off work permanently, then PIP could be a something worth considering which doesn't take your finances into consideration.
If your GP thinks you are fit for work, then talk to the school about putting a programme in place that will ease you back into work gently.
Thanks everyone. I am, and was in previous jobs, a member of the LGPS so have started investigating the procedure for activating the early pension. Good tip!
In Pistonhead terms, the problem with any other benefit is that it is a bit like claiming a warranty payment for a used car if the only fault is a frayed cambelt - the car will still work perfectly so you can't claim, but you can't take it out for a drive in case it suddenly snaps and destroys the engine!
In Pistonhead terms, the problem with any other benefit is that it is a bit like claiming a warranty payment for a used car if the only fault is a frayed cambelt - the car will still work perfectly so you can't claim, but you can't take it out for a drive in case it suddenly snaps and destroys the engine!
VFK44,
The employers in the LGPS have a very poor history of administering the process of ill health early retirement pension (IHERP) cases, leading to many formal complaints being adjudicated by the Pensions Ombudsman. The fundamental issue is that the employers, who have to make the decision, need to fund out of current resources the cost of that decision if the IHERP is awarded. This means many decision makers decline IHERP. Also, employers have a poor track record of following the processes they must use as required by the regulations that govern the LGPS. A typical issue is that the employers simply pass on the advice received from an independent medical practitioner, so avoiding taking a decision, which is contrary to the regulations. These two instances are the main source of complaints.
Your employer (presumably a county or local government authority) should have available an established formal process for IHERP cases and you could try and get a copy; several authorities publish them online.
If you do ask about IHERP, you will find that you will probably need to be in employment (not meaning that you have to be physically at work) at the time of actually going ahead and making a formal application for IHERP. The LGPS has several "tiers" of benefit which depend on the level of permanency of the medical cause of the application for IHERP.
All of the above should not put you off! I mention the issues because of the history of IHERP applications in the past.
R.
The employers in the LGPS have a very poor history of administering the process of ill health early retirement pension (IHERP) cases, leading to many formal complaints being adjudicated by the Pensions Ombudsman. The fundamental issue is that the employers, who have to make the decision, need to fund out of current resources the cost of that decision if the IHERP is awarded. This means many decision makers decline IHERP. Also, employers have a poor track record of following the processes they must use as required by the regulations that govern the LGPS. A typical issue is that the employers simply pass on the advice received from an independent medical practitioner, so avoiding taking a decision, which is contrary to the regulations. These two instances are the main source of complaints.
Your employer (presumably a county or local government authority) should have available an established formal process for IHERP cases and you could try and get a copy; several authorities publish them online.
If you do ask about IHERP, you will find that you will probably need to be in employment (not meaning that you have to be physically at work) at the time of actually going ahead and making a formal application for IHERP. The LGPS has several "tiers" of benefit which depend on the level of permanency of the medical cause of the application for IHERP.
All of the above should not put you off! I mention the issues because of the history of IHERP applications in the past.
R.
VFK44,
The employers in the LGPS have a very poor history of administering the process of ill health early retirement pension (IHERP) cases, leading to many formal complaints being adjudicated by the Pensions Ombudsman. The fundamental issue is that the employers, who have to make the decision, need to fund out of current resources the cost of that decision if the IHERP is awarded. This means many decision makers decline IHERP. Also, employers have a poor track record of following the processes they must use as required by the regulations that govern the LGPS. A typical issue is that the employers simply pass on the advice received from an independent medical practitioner, so avoiding taking a decision, which is contrary to the regulations. These two instances are the main source of complaints.
Your employer (presumably a county or local government authority) should have available an established formal process for IHERP cases and you could try and get a copy; several authorities publish them online.
If you do ask about IHERP, you will find that you will probably need to be in employment (not meaning that you have to be physically at work) at the time of actually going ahead and making a formal application for IHERP. The LGPS has several "tiers" of benefit which depend on the level of permanency of the medical cause of the application for IHERP.
All of the above should not put you off! I mention the issues because of the history of IHERP applications in the past.
R.
The employers in the LGPS have a very poor history of administering the process of ill health early retirement pension (IHERP) cases, leading to many formal complaints being adjudicated by the Pensions Ombudsman. The fundamental issue is that the employers, who have to make the decision, need to fund out of current resources the cost of that decision if the IHERP is awarded. This means many decision makers decline IHERP. Also, employers have a poor track record of following the processes they must use as required by the regulations that govern the LGPS. A typical issue is that the employers simply pass on the advice received from an independent medical practitioner, so avoiding taking a decision, which is contrary to the regulations. These two instances are the main source of complaints.
Your employer (presumably a county or local government authority) should have available an established formal process for IHERP cases and you could try and get a copy; several authorities publish them online.
If you do ask about IHERP, you will find that you will probably need to be in employment (not meaning that you have to be physically at work) at the time of actually going ahead and making a formal application for IHERP. The LGPS has several "tiers" of benefit which depend on the level of permanency of the medical cause of the application for IHERP.
All of the above should not put you off! I mention the issues because of the history of IHERP applications in the past.
R.
DO NOT RESIGN
I would let them take you down the capability route, they may have a policy in effect where they will offer a payment on dismissal.
When you do leave, if you are unable to get a fit note from a doctor then you WILL be eligible for contribution based ESA for a year, if you do not qualify for UC due to partners wage or savings.
I would let them take you down the capability route, they may have a policy in effect where they will offer a payment on dismissal.
When you do leave, if you are unable to get a fit note from a doctor then you WILL be eligible for contribution based ESA for a year, if you do not qualify for UC due to partners wage or savings.
I’ve been down this route.
As said do not resign. Are you a union member, if so enlist their help. There was no guarantee in my case but ended up with ill health early retirement, my pension credited up to retirement age which was 65 which added 11 extra years. Got a 45/60ths pension and was able to take a substantial lump sum.
I appreciate you haven’t been there long but you still maybe entitled to ill health early retirement under the terms of the pension scheme. There will be hoops to jump through with regard to medical evidence etc.
As said do not resign. Are you a union member, if so enlist their help. There was no guarantee in my case but ended up with ill health early retirement, my pension credited up to retirement age which was 65 which added 11 extra years. Got a 45/60ths pension and was able to take a substantial lump sum.
I appreciate you haven’t been there long but you still maybe entitled to ill health early retirement under the terms of the pension scheme. There will be hoops to jump through with regard to medical evidence etc.
Edited by elanfan on Thursday 7th March 12:36
Thanks to all for the advice, and I have contacted the school and asked them to initiate the dismissal process, as advised by LGPS. I also have some years service with a local Council and with a government agency, so altogether about 14 years with LGPS, so this is a worthwhile tip.
I'll post an update in a few months!
I'll post an update in a few months!
Just to let you all know that next Wednesday I have a meeting at which I will be formally dismissed on the grounds of ill health - all very amicably.
The good news is that (thanks Funkygibbon) I have assessments from the Occupational Health Advisor and they have decided I am "Fit for nothing": not suited for employment at any level, ever (until my retirement date). This is quite a result as it means that my two years of LGPS (Local Government Pension scheme) will pay out straight away (Tier 1), and also be made up with an extra ten years of contributions as if I had worked until retirement age. Plus I hope to claim on the other 10 years of LGPS I amassed in previous jobs. We'll see if that all works out! I won't be making a fortune but enough to provide a boost to the household income.
I am pleased as I am still able to do most tasks by myself which I thought would disqualify me from claiming.
The good news is that (thanks Funkygibbon) I have assessments from the Occupational Health Advisor and they have decided I am "Fit for nothing": not suited for employment at any level, ever (until my retirement date). This is quite a result as it means that my two years of LGPS (Local Government Pension scheme) will pay out straight away (Tier 1), and also be made up with an extra ten years of contributions as if I had worked until retirement age. Plus I hope to claim on the other 10 years of LGPS I amassed in previous jobs. We'll see if that all works out! I won't be making a fortune but enough to provide a boost to the household income.
I am pleased as I am still able to do most tasks by myself which I thought would disqualify me from claiming.
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