Early Retirement on Medical Grounds - HSE - advice needed please?

penovine

Hi... I've been employed by the HSE for the last 13 yrs.. mid 40's... but have been struggling with a medical condition for the last 18 mths.. been off work - and really don't think I can go back. I have 2 consultants for 2 diff conditions. Physical and mental health compromised.

I am considering taking early retirement on medical grounds.. have spoke to Occ Health and HR about this.. HR won't give me a policy or document on this - say they don't have one which I find odd.. but apparently it means that I cannot work in the HSE ever again if I proceed with this and its granted.

I get that - but I dunno if it means whether or not I can work again period?

Like, I think I could work again in the future - but not in my job.. 12 hr shifts.. on my feet running.. stress personified..

But I would like to think I could work in some other field in the future.

I need letters from my consultants.. I can get one 1 but not the other (no clinical evidence)..

Don't even know if I will be granted this, if I apply.

Has anyone here any experience of this - or knowledge?

HR are v unhelpful.

TIA

Mrs OBumble

Speak to your union.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058242552/early-retirement-on-medical-grounds-hse-advice-needed-please

It sounds like plain old don't like your job rather than a disabilitating physical condition, one doctor cannot find evidence.

You'll need to do what others have to do when they no longer like/fit for their job. Look for another one, transfer internally or get promoted.

Mam1996

In a similar situation to yourself, I haven't spoken to occ health about it yet as their track record is pretty poor in my experience. I was instructed to stay at home for the duration of lockdown/early covid but was allowed to return at the start of March, this was due to my vulnerability if I caught covid. Guess what? I caught covid 2 weeks after I returned (front line worker) and I'm still out sick, finding it difficult to recover and GP not happy with bloods etc. I'm thinking now that it might be time to weigh up my options.

There's very little info about this online and it appears we are at the mercy of HR/occ health. I did find this which seems to be the process, have a look and see what you think. As far as I know we're excluded from working within hse but not elsewhere but then again if you leave a job due to ill health it may be difficult to secure further employment https://singlepensionscheme.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Ill-Health-Retirement-Guidelines.pdf

Best of luck and please keep us posted on your process

fits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118962312#Comment_118962312

Gosh that’s really not a fair judgement to make with so little information.

blanch152

It's a difficult area.

Because there is a pension paid immediately to someone in their mid-40s like you, there are extra safeguards built around it.

Technically, it isn't correct to say that you cannot work again, what is meant is that if you recover sufficiently to work again, the pension can be taken off you. For example, if would be wrong if a nurse retired on medical grounds in their 40s and started work for a private hospital the next day, or a garda retired on medical grounds and worked as a bouncer/security man.

It gets difficult where the work like you say is physically demanding and you are not fit for it but might be able to work somewhere else. However, if you were to work again in another area, the HSE could cancel your pension and invite you back to work in admin or something in your previous workplace. I am only aware of a small number of cases where it has been revoked, but there are not many who qualify because of the stringent requirements which are only fair to the taxpayer having to pay out a pension for maybe 50 years. As someone else says, in the private sector, you might be handed your coat with a cheque for six months pay to get you out.