Hello, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2025 and informed my employer straight away. I worked full time until my lumpectomy was conducted and I took sick leave to recover. Further cancer was found in the lymph nodes that were removed and I started 8 rounds of chemo which hit me hard. I was referred for an OHS appointment where the advisor informed me that my employer should extend my sickness trigger points and suggested that my employer provide me with disability leave as a reasonable adjustment to prevent me from using sick leave in between sessions to help recover. They referred my manager to a link to the ACAS websight on reasonable adjustments and DL. I work for the Home Office and have been an employee for the last 20 years. I am aware from my Union Rep that this has been implemented in other departments but my manager and senior team are refusing to provide me with disability leave apart for hospital appointments where I then have to return to work and make up my hours that I haven’t worked.
I used annual leave in between my chemo sessions to recover. I have escalated my arguement of DL being a reasonable adjustment through senior managers and our HR team who have returned an explanation that this cannot be implemented as disability leave should not be used if I am off sick recovering. Basically discretion will not be used, which means financially because I have hit a sickness trigger I lose my shift allowance .
I went off work sick with all the stress and despite not having finished my chemotherapy I will now be returning to work next week after 2 months off. My employer wants to do another OHS referral but I have argued that there is not point when they are ignoring recommendations. Any advice would be appreciated.
my union says there is nothing more he can do unless I resign and take my employers to court for constructive dismissal. Which I feel is extreme as I may lost my case and end up without a job.
