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Epilepsy and work / adjustments

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  • hells123
    hells123 Community member Posts: 33 Listener
    Can I ask about access to work support If that is given would this be considered a reasonable adjustment to an employer.  We have asked for an assessment for a support worker/job aid to be funded so that Richard could be supported to undertake the roles that his employer are now saying he can’t do, as in the event Richard was to have a seizure there would be a 5-10 minute period where he could not do the task and the other person job aid could complete this and once Richard is recovered he could go back to normal duty.   Do you have any experience of this support as Richard only receives taxis paid for under access to work and nothing else 
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi I have only experienced access to work funding taxi and equipment and workplace adjustments like ramps etc

    Never come a cross support worker that doesn't mean it doesn't exist but I dont know if they would fund full time support worker for limited amount of seizures he has and short recovery time 

    It is worth exploring and yes access to work is considered reasonable adjustment 
  • hells123
    hells123 Community member Posts: 33 Listener
    Yes thanks I was unaware of this as well, but I have located some guidelines that the staff making the adjustments use, their is funding up to £59,000 that can be used, given that Richard is causing his colleagues to pick up a lot of his work, the funding would allow them to pay for another  Full time guard at £21,000 to support Richard When he has a seizure.  And can’t do his job, they would have to fund it full time as Richards epilepsy is the type that has no set pattern and can happen at any time 
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    I would give it a try there is nothing to lose and may be a solution for Richard 

    Will you let me know how it goes for my reference too 

    If you want to talk to me privately you can post on my wall or if you want to tag me just put @janer1967
  • hells123
    hells123 Community member Posts: 33 Listener
    Ok thanks will do the current wait is 4-5 weeks, but Richard hasn’t received his occup health appt yet in any case 
  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,519 Disability Gamechanger
    I also have seizures both full blown ones (as i call them) and absences, there are many types of epilepsy and the brain is something we know little about, but I have to agree with Mike, personally I have around 3 full blown seizures a week and half a dozen absences a day, and I know I could never work, it seems unfair to your husband BUT an employer in this day and age has many things to consider.
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  • hells123
    hells123 Community member Posts: 33 Listener
    Firstly his occupational health assessment cleared him fit for all duties in June 2019, with the exception of traffic, there has to be evidence and justification that justifies a sensible approach to risk. 

    Richard is able to carry out his duties and has been for over 18 years,  hiring an epileptic person such as Richard does not damage the business, it just means when he has an absent seizure he requires help and assistance at this time for no more than 10 minutes 

    The reasons for the referral are false and incorrect and as they are applying rules just for him and none of his colleagues then this is direct discrimination, if you are going to say the shifts have changed going forward this would apply to all staff and not just a staff member who has epilepsy.
  • hells123
    hells123 Community member Posts: 33 Listener
    woodbine said:
    I also have seizures both full blown ones (as i call them) and absences, there are many types of epilepsy and the brain is something we know little about, but I have to agree with Mike, personally I have around 3 full blown seizures a week and half a dozen absences a day, and I know I could never work, it seems unfair to your husband BUT an employer in this day and age has many things to consider.

  • hells123
    hells123 Community member Posts: 33 Listener
    Yes I understand that., no disrespect but that seems a lot of fits in one week alone,   Richard can go for many weeks  without having an absent seizure ,  just because a person has epilepsy does not automatically exempt them from working     There are different types and degrees  

  • hells123
    hells123 Community member Posts: 33 Listener
    The type of security job he does, there are other people around all the time, he is not able to carry a wallat or keys, personal property has to be locked away before starting duty, there are at least 6 members of staff on duty at any one time.  He has had no regular discussions with his employer.  He has 52 duties on his job description he can perform 51 of them, lone working is not listed on his job description, the job description applies to other staff also 
  • hells123
    hells123 Community member Posts: 33 Listener
    hells123 said: I disagree with you the frequency of the seizure is evidence of the type of epilepsy Richard has and how it affects his ability to do his job, if you have a lot of fits in any given week then that would provide evidence of the persons abilities to do the job 
    Yes I understand that., no disrespect but that seems a lot of fits in one week alone,   Richard can go for many weeks  without having an absent seizure ,  just because a person has epilepsy does not automatically exempt them from working     There are different types and degrees  

    Yes there but, as we’ve said, the issue is not about frequency.

  • hells123
    hells123 Community member Posts: 33 Listener
    He will wait to see what his occupational report says, and take it from there, and apply to access to work to help and support him 
  • hells123
    hells123 Community member Posts: 33 Listener
    Username_removed said: we’ll occupational health never listed it as a restriction, so they must of been happy to sign him off on it and was provided with a copy of his job description at the time. It was never a realistic expectation, it was a reality from a medically qualified person 



    Lone working isn’t listed on my job description but I have to do it. 

    Nothing to add really. The fact that other people are “around all the time” is again nothing to the point. It would only be relevant if they were obliged to be. If they’re not obliged to be then you’d have to be a pretty stupid employer to run the risk as you’ve no guarantee someone would be there or something happened. I‘ve worked with people with different types of epilepsy over 30 years in different contexts and was in a relationship with one of them for 2.5 years. None of the employers would have entertained the idea of lone working. Frankly, it’s not a realistic expectation. 
    Lone working isn’t listed on my job description but I have to do it. 

    Nothing to add really. The fact that other people are “around all the time” is again nothing to the point. It would only be relevant if they were obliged to be. If they’re not obliged to be then you’d have to be a pretty stupid employer to run the risk as you’ve no guarantee someone would be there or something happened. I‘ve worked with people with different types of epilepsy over 30 years in different contexts and was in a relationship with one of them for 2.5 years. None of the employers would have entertained the idea of lone working. Frankly, it’s not a realistic expectation. 

  • hells123
    hells123 Community member Posts: 33 Listener
    Thanks for your help 

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