Work issues

LegacyUser

I have an account but want to post this anonymously.

I have been diagnosed with a stress induced illness in the last week due to work. It's been coming a while. I am due to go back to work on Friday but I honestly do not think I can face it. I have a follow up appointment with my doctor tomorrow morning and I was planning on calling work afterwards to hand in my notice.

I've been wanting to quit work for the last 2 or 3 months due to the undue stress it was causing me but I was holding out until I could find another job. At this stage, I don't think I'll see out another week there, never mind the 2 weeks notice I am required to give.

I worked my way up to a respected position within the company but can go no further. I am afraid that leaving in this manner will affect my chances of a good reference. There has not been a blemish on my record since I started there over 2 years ago.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and if so, how did you go about it?

Thanks

December2012

If you're on stress leave, stay on stress leave. You don't have to hand in your notice.

Take some time to get some rest, some de-stressing, and calm your self.

You can still look for different work while you're on sick leave.


Does your employer have a grievance procedure you can follow?

Soft Falling Rain

Hi OP. Firstly, I can really empathise with your situation and I'm sure many can too.

We all have to live with a little bit of stress, but I think when it gets to the stage where we have to be medically treated due to a stress induced illness, then we really have to sit up and pay attention.

This is what has happened to you and you have to make a difficult decision for your own sake. Don't be afraid to resign without any back up of another job as you simply don't know when that job is going to come along. Don't worry about what others will think either, only you know what is best for you and how much of a toll the job is taking on you.

About the reference, as long as you resign through the proper channels, they can't exactly bad mouth you. They're obligated to give you a reference.

LegacyUser

Thank you both for your responses.

It's not one particular grievance that I have with the company, it's every aspect of the job that I hate. It doesn't make me happy any more, I get no satisfaction from the work that I do and I am also working 13hr shifts. This has made me feel like I exist purely to work, come home, go to bed and get up for work again.

I no longer enjoy any days off as I spend them either sleeping or worrying about having to go back. I've been having panic attacks the night before shifts as I am so freaked about going in.
I've never quit a job before, so I am nervous about how to approach the subject. I'm not very good in situations like this. I have a tendency to trip over my words and not make any sense.

Tokyo

OP, if you do decide to leave your job without having something else lined up then you might want to bear in mind the following (taken from the Citizens Information website):

If you leave work voluntarily or as a result of misconduct, you cannot get a jobseeker’s payment for 9 weeks. However, if you have ‘good cause’ to leave voluntarily, for example, any changes in working conditions such as a reduction in pay, harassment or abuse from your employer, you may get your payment. The Deciding Officer in your social welfare local office or Intreo centre will decide whether you had good cause to leave voluntarily.

It may be worth your while finding out from your doctor tomorrow whether your stress induced illness constitutes a 'good cause' as outlined above before you quit. Otherwise you could be spending the next two months without any income.

Maura74

WorkAnon wrote: »

Thank you both for your responses.

It's not one particular grievance that I have with the company, it's every aspect of the job that I hate. It doesn't make me happy any more, I get no satisfaction from the work that I do and I am also working 13hr shifts. This has made me feel like I exist purely to work, come home, go to bed and get up for work again.

I no longer enjoy any days off as I spend them either sleeping or worrying about having to go back. I've been having panic attacks the night before shifts as I am so freaked about going in.
I've never quit a job before, so I am nervous about how to approach the subject. I'm not very good in situations like this. I have a tendency to trip over my words and not make any sense.

You can put your notice in while being off ill, you simply put it in writing to the company. Also if you are up to it go back for a couple of days and put your notice in writing and if you are not up to working your full notice period then take the rest of your notice period off on a medical certificate.

You simple write to the company saying that you wish to tender your resignation from the company to take effect from [date] You can leave it like that or you can if you want to give reasons why you are resigning but that's up to you. Best of Luck.

Merkin

Don't hand in your notice. If you have a certifiable illness brought on my work-induced stress then you can use your sick leave to look for another job. Go back to your doctor and ask them to sign you off for a longer period of time.

RossFixxxed

I quit, and I got full social welfare immediately. That is because I explained it to them and then committed it to writing explaining the extra ordinary situation that was at hand. They do treat it on a case by case basis but you may be excluded for 8/9 weeks.

Secondly, from my experience, if you just get another job the anxitety MIGHT come back. Now, as you are off work, is the time to follow up with the doctor, take some councelling or make whatever changes will benefit you so when you come out of this you are strong and ready for the new job.

It can and does get better, you only should focus on your health first, then job seeking second. Build a healthy routine, here's an example off the top of my head:

Get up at 8 and eat a healthy breakfast.
9 O clock apply for jobs for an hour.
10 Go for a nice walk.
11 apply for jobs.
12 DOSSING TIME! Watch a TV show you like, play a video game, eat something etc.
1: check emails and look for a few jobs and so on and so on!

Best of luck

littlelulu

Hi OP,

I was in the exact same boat as you. Working long hours, dreading work to the point I would cry and actually feel physically ill having to go.

I took some sick leave and my doctor advised me that if I was going to leave my job to go back and work my last few weeks rather than just go on sick leave, finish up and never be seen again. I also had that feeling of not being physically able to go back but my doctor encouraged me to face it and i'm glad she did.

To be honest once I did hand in my notice, I got a new burst of energy for the job because I knew the end was in sight. I didn't feel trapped anymore. I enjoyed my last few weeks, got to say goodbye to everyone properly. The other staff appreciated that I came back and were glad that I didn't just disappear and leave. I was really glad too and you wouldn't believe the difference it made to how I felt.

I gave 2 months notice and survived. Two weeks really isn't that much. Plus my doctor advised me not to terminate my contract on the grounds of stress as it could come back to bite me. Also employers are NOT obliged to give a reference. They can decline.

Social welfare didn't see my predicament as an exception to the 9 week rule but you know what, when you feel like that you would go without money for 9 weeks as long as you have prepared to be without.

I never regretted my choice and i'm glad i went back for those last few weeks

Scaldy Ned

I've been there...Don't hand in your notice. Tell your doctor how you feel and stay out on stress leave for as long as you need.
Believe me ......The dole can be more stressful.
Now i'm not saying put up with the misery for the rest of your life but use your situation to inspire you to come up with a plan to escape from it. It's true that it's easier to find a job when you're working.
If you've got a boss you can talk to...tell him/her how you're feeling.Often in these situations help can come from the most unexpected places.
Good luck

Soft Falling Rain

littlelulu wrote: »

Hi OP,

I was in the exact same boat as you. Working long hours, dreading work to the point I would cry and actually feel physically ill having to go.

I took some sick leave and my doctor advised me that if I was going to leave my job to go back and work my last few weeks rather than just go on sick leave, finish up and never be seen again. I also had that feeling of not being physically able to go back but my doctor encouraged me to face it and i'm glad she did.

To be honest once I did hand in my notice, I got a new burst of energy for the job because I knew the end was in sight. I didn't feel trapped anymore. I enjoyed my last few weeks, got to say goodbye to everyone properly. The other staff appreciated that I came back and were glad that I didn't just disappear and leave. I was really glad too and you wouldn't believe the difference it made to how I felt.

I gave 2 months notice and survived. Two weeks really isn't that much. Plus my doctor advised me not to terminate my contract on the grounds of stress as it could come back to bite me. Also employers are NOT obliged to give a reference. They can decline.

Social welfare didn't see my predicament as an exception to the 9 week rule but you know what, when you feel like that you would go without money for 9 weeks as long as you have prepared to be without.

I never regretted my choice and i'm glad i went back for those last few weeks

You may not get a good verbal or written reference but I was sure that if you rang HR, they would be obliged to say at the least "yes, he or she worked here from such and such a date to the other." It may not be great but if you've already got one good reference then that's all you'd really need from your last employer, just to verify what you put on your cv so to speak.

LegacyUser

Hi all,

Thank you for your responses. I called my manager yesterday to hand in my notice and she was lovely. She offered me a different role (not as stressful) whereby I get to keep the wage that I am on. She told me not to make any rash decisions and to take the weekend to make up my mind.
I've been provided with the number for the staff counsellor so I am going to make use of that. I feel like a weight has been lifted! She was very understanding and I feel very silly for all the worrying I was doing.

I want to thank you all again for taking the time to advise me. It is much appreciated.

Mods, feel free to close this thread now, thanks.

Tokyo

Thread closed at OP's request.