EDIT: I see “illegal” was bad to use in the title becuase apparently its a keyword for a single conclusion. Please no more “Get a lawyer” and nothing else comments (if you can't see other comments posting that is because I put this on multiple subs). I can't, here's why;
1. I have been on SSP for months (uk), it doesn't pay enough to live I can't afford a lawyer.
2. I have immense communication issues I would struggle to speak to one and probably not be able to provide proper info to them, I have no friends/fam that can do this for me so I'm on my own here.
3. I'm chronically fatigued, i don't leave my home at all, I know there's no lawyers in my suburb so nearest would be city centre over an hour away from home, impossible.
4. I'm mentally fatigued, I don't sleep, I don't have the energy for that process at all.
5. If any part if that process required medical evidence which I KNOW it does, I couldn't retrieve it, basically every med prof I've spoken too is an asshole (I thinks it's the practice, but I don't have a choice, nhs is understaffed)
6. I fail to see the solution, A lawyer for what? Even if they defend me so I get to keep the job, afterwards the workload I am given will still be excessively more than I can manage because I do admit I'm less productive than an average employee rn and its likely not gonna improve drastically until I have at least a chunk of pain, the performative sleep and ADHD sorted.
Long story here kinda a cross between a rant and accepting advice. Adding context at the start:
I know I've left out a lot of details here so ask away I just didn't want this to be any longer than it is already. Ignore the typos please this post was difficult to create.
Jan-Aug 2022: given position as a web application developer, Hybrid working, 2 days home 3 days office, since Jan 2022, I was fine at my job, I passed (6 months) probation, I'd say i got along well in the office and with my work.
Autumn 2022: lnformed Boss & Manager I am pursuing a newly discovered adult ADHD & Autism diagnosis and its effects in my workplace as it was relevant at the time.
Mid autumn 2022: Reprimanded for arriving minutes late on multiple incidents due to emergencies one being a literal fire in my home building.
To forgo being late I broke my ribs running to get to work on time in a medical compression garment I was not meant to exert myself in, issues getting doctors evidence meant I could only take 2 weeks off. Denied full-time temp WFH, returned to office in agony – they didn't think i was working hard enough so now i was given 7 DAYS OFFICE, only to break my ribs a second time as they did not heal quickly and traveling was strain.
Injury of course meant my movements were impaired- I got hit by a car shortly after and suffered a severe concussion, a sprained wrist and broken ankle. Walk-in and hospital said “we don't do sick notes”, as I relocated recently I still didnt have a GP. Occupational health call booked by the company confirmed these things were true including the AuADHD and it's effects on my work.
New year: I now had to travel to work from further away (safety reasons), by bike as I can't drive and there was no public transport options for parts of the journey. I reported multiple incidents to work of extreme fatigue and pain such as falling asleep while riding 30mph on the road and hitting a brick wall, nearly going over the bars of a bridge, getting lost and confused on the way to work, despite travelling there every morning 50+ times, being unable to eat, collapsing walking home etc.
Spring 2023: They informed me my quantity of work wasn't high enough, I explained again my health was effected negatively recently, I had a GP by now and more evidence, plus referalls and tests for my conditions. I did my best at work which I'm not gonna lie was NOT less than my collegues and not a massive difference from how I was months earlier. I was told it still wasn't enough, bear in mind I was on a medication plan here, waiting on results from blood tests, waiting for results from heart and blood clinic and testing treatment I was doing the best I could. I got multiple disciplinaries even ones for arriving late due to personal safety and medical issues.
I also had to keep providing doctors letters despite i'm in office 7 days, I'm 2 hours away from my GP clinic and they're only open during my work/commute hours!
It took me months to get them to approve temp WFH full time and even then they were reluctant – I was literally in danger every day!
I gave immense evidence for everything despite not having a GP in my new location yet, including some long term diagnosed/heavily suspected conditions such as the above neurodivergence, severe Trigeminal Neuralgia, depression/anxiety, cptsd and migraines from brain surgery 12 years ago.
They started me on a performance improvement plan, the first one was fine as it allowed me to put some thing in place to help myself, I of course failed it, worth mentioning at this point they were changing project requirements every day and my deadlines were impossible to complete.
On the performance review they again asked me to put things in place that would improve my work, (they denied some issues I expressed & straight up ignored certain things they changed recently making it more difficult to work as a neurodivergent) I told them, I'm diagnosed with multiple disabilities, I'm waiting on tests for unknown conditions, my mental health is bad because of my physical and my ADHD in particular was much worse due to medication from my injuries, they still threatened future dismissal.
I failed again as their criteria was explained vaugely and changed every few hours to days, leaving room for interpretation and being autistic it's only POSSIBLE for me to take things literally.
They began Stage 2 despite my protests that my health was the only issue here and they said it themselves when they admitted i over-acheved all the way up until i reported my medial issues (aka as soon as i found out) and how could I possible solve what the doctors couldn't when I was still on a waiting list?
Stage 2 I was told “I improved but not enough” so it was extended by two weeks. I was trying my best and basically working from workday till midnight to try and pass this although I'm not supposed to work over hours and I was still behind. A few days before the review I got sick and had to take time off again.
Now: Obviously I got several negative test results and unsuccessful treatments during this time, everything was reported to work. As off two weeks ago I got my answers. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Chronic fatigue Syndrome, with a high suspicion & referalls for hypoglycaemia and another internal organ condition I don't want to mention here. Add that to my clinical depression & anxiety, Trigeminal neuralgia, Autism, ADHD, CPTSD genetic brain condition won't name, Anemia, Allodynia, and a couple other light conditions they wonder why I have issues at work? I've been started on treatment but haven't seen results yet, i reported the diagnosis and cited their symptoms that perfectly matched my behaviors, politely of course & recieved barely an acknowledgement in response. Most of these disabilities are uncurable and progressive, all of them I've had since birth, none of them could have been diagnosed earlier as I had anti-medical parents.
I'm still off work. I gotta go back because my S.O. cant afford us both. PIP have been making my life hard so I've only been on SSP through all of this. I AM possibly fit to work A JOB (provided it was wfh only and maybe not full time) but not with people that are gonna make my life hard, disregard my conditions possibly illegally, and likely throw me into a third performance review as soon as I return to work. I had nothing I could do ever since my conditions worsened and considering most of what effects my job is mental and all the mental health waiting lists are over a year long……..