Return to Work after 6 months stress realated illness

[toik1961]

Hi All, I'm a newbie to the site but I am looking for some answers regarding my wife's return to work after a 6 month absence caused by stress. A grievance is also in process but has taken 6 months and is still not resolved.

She works for a local authority helping service users in their own homes so has no need to contact her office. (remember this point) For some time she has reported matters / bad practices on behalf of her service users, she is now labelled as a trouble maker! Her boss and her boss's boss have had it in for her for some time but as usual it's proving it! To cut an extremely long story short my wife has been under subtle pressure to return to work, she has gone along with this on the expectation that she would return to her own job, NOT SO her employers (local authority) want her to return to a different job that she is not qualified or familiar with and one which she feels is demeaning and degrading, not to mention the additional stress she has gone through since she got the letter with only 2 days notice. So as she was to due to phase her return to work she has returned to our GP who has extented her sickness due to acute stress (again)!

My question is does she have any obligation to return to work in a job she is not familiar with?
Is 6 months too long for a grievance to conclude?
Is 2 days enough notice for her to returning to work in a different job bearing in mind she informed them 2 weeks ago that she would be returning and wanted to return to her job and duties as she had no direct contact with her boss or her boss's boss?
What can she do now in terms of legal actions etc. as we are at the stage where none of this matters now and she has nothing to lose??

Thanks for reading this....

Toik

[buildersmate]

Q1: Yes, but she should be provided with appropriate training. Since the original job seems to create stress, it seems reasonable for an employer to seek to do this. Ought to have been explained properly though.
Q2: Grievance. Yes, but nothing surprises me anymore with local authority employers. Has she asked why it is taking so long?
Q3: Employees' obligation is to undertake any suitable work of a similar grade for which one is trained. Especially as the other job seems to generate stress. What's the big deal with the notice?
Q4: Legal actions? The option would appear to be to resign and try and claim constructive dismissal. I have my doubts that this would succeed though.

[toik1961]

Thanks buildersmate, your answers are appreciated!
Q1 It's not the job that's creating the stress it's the victimisation by her boss and her boss's boss!
Q2 No real answer here ... ineptitude probably
Q3 As Q1 it's not her job causing stress! Notice of 2 days to return to work in a different job has added to her already heightened levels of anxiety.
Q4 Agree with you we'll see them in hell first!

Thanks again

[nathanboo]

Hi, this happened to me about 5yrs ago.Her employers are intimidating her,remember she is quite vulnerable.Does she belong to a union? If not, i would advise you to see the C.A.B,they are excellent and would give you all info on employment law.Also a grievence must be resolved within a certain time, not 6mnths! It sounds like they are bullying and harrassing her and i would def take it further. One thing to remember is that everything should be documented and any correspondance between both parties should be kept, you will need these if you want to make a claim.

[helpmetoo]

a cushy public sector job where you dont even have to show up at the office.....

think she would be suicidal if she had a job where there are commercial pressures,

presumably the job was an important one?

but they are expected to keep it open for in excess of six months pending a possible return?
now that is unreasonable

it cuts both ways