Question:
I have reached the stage where I just want to tell them that I am
never returning, but I still need money to live on. I am concerned
that this will be seen as having left my job voluntarily and will
affect my right to any benefits I may be entitled to.
Also, I feel that I just need a clean break - the work I have been
doing, and the people I work for have been responsible for making me
sick again - I don't want to have to keep going to the doc's and
getting signed off for another two weeks every two weeks for the next
six months, then be forced to deal with my employers again. I just
want to be free of all this added stress and concentrate on getting
well.
Can anyone advise me what to do next and as to the procedure that I
must follow in order to avoid shooting myself in the foot financially?
I am obviously very nervous, as I have no other income whatsoever and
I don't want to leave myself destitute.
Answer:
To be fair, you make it sound that your work is entirely responsible, yet
plenty of other people are able to cope with much more demanding situations.
Now, I know it's very easy to blame everything on one particular thing,
whether it's work or a (ex-)friend/partner etc, but it doesn't help with the
root cause.
Although from the sound of it I don't think your job has helped, it seems
like there are various causes for your depression - and it's up to you and
you alone to sort it out.
I'm not trying to sound harsh, but there's plenty of support available and a
fair few people do overcome depression of all sorts (not 100% of people by
any means), but it's definitely within your grasp.
Working 60+ hour weeks, split shifts every day (meaning I'm out for
perhaps 15 hours a day in total), being routinely expected to stay on
hours later than I am supposed to, without even being asked,
management that treats you like dirt, arseholes that have no authority
over you trying to order you around and undermine you in front of
customers, grievances being ignored, broken promises about improved
pay and conditions, being harassed to come into work on your day off
almost every time, having a member of management SENT TO MY HOUSE when
I called in sick one day to enquire as to whether I was really ill.
I don't care what other people do or don't do. They are not me. *I*
cannot cope with this (maybe you could - you are welcome to my job).
The only reason I did not leave sooner was that there is very little
else around that would pay enough for me to live on.
I would just like to know my rights - not to have the
legitimacy/seriousness of my medically diagnosed condition called into
doubt.
If you read my original post, you would see that I am attempting to
change things. I have realised that I cannot go on the way I have
been. My GP has referred me to for certain programs of treatement,
which I shall not discuss here and I am trying to pull myself out of
this mess.
My doctor himself has said that he agrees with me that my job has been
the cause of this worsening of my depression (and would no doubt
attest to this if required).
At the moment, I am not well enough to work. I just need to know where
I stand with regards to claiming Incapacity Benefit (or Income
Support, or whatever - I am finding it difficult to understand the
intricacies as I have had virtually no dealings with the benefits
system) if I left my job "voluntarily". I do not want a sermon.
