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Contracting with mental illness

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    Contracting with mental illness

    Hi guys,

    First-time poster, my girlfriend is contracted to a government department. She suffers from anxiety and occasional depression and has to take anti-dep meds daily.

    These meds make her real tired at times and she occasionally sleeps through alarms and misses morning meetings.

    I've said she should explain her medical situation to her bosses so they can understand her situation and not think she's just lazy or not bothered.

    But because she's a contractor she's nervous that they'd just sack her and get someone else in.

    Has anyone had any experience with this? Would love to get some thoughts on common practice and how well or otherwise businesses treat contractors with mental illness like this...

    Thanks!

    #2
    Back when I was a permie, I went through a similar issue, and had a terrible time trying to get it taken into account, I was quite open about it, and a number of my colleagues opened up (privately) that were having similar issues with MH.

    At that point there is no way I could have coped with contracting.

    I think it would largely be down to the client, and how "Warm and Fuzzy" they were. If her work is generally of good quality, and stuff still gets done, I wouldn't imagine it causing problems. however if they are looking to reduce contractor headcount it might move her up the list though.

    Comment


      #3
      What about setting several alarm clocks and louder alarms. This would be preferable than to confessing to mental problems; though she could just say she's been prescribed sleeping tablets, which wouldn't really raise any eyebrows.

      I don't think being late occasionally is a particular problem, just blame it on the traffic or the car.
      Last edited by BlasterBates; 22 May 2018, 13:43.
      I'm alright Jack

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by DaveMK View Post
        Hi guys,

        First-time poster, my girlfriend is contracted to a government department. She suffers from anxiety and occasional depression and has to take anti-dep meds daily.

        These meds make her real tired at times and she occasionally sleeps through alarms and misses morning meetings.

        I've said she should explain her medical situation to her bosses so they can understand her situation and not think she's just lazy or not bothered.

        But because she's a contractor she's nervous that they'd just sack her and get someone else in.

        Has anyone had any experience with this? Would love to get some thoughts on common practice and how well or otherwise businesses treat contractors with mental illness like this...

        Thanks!
        Ok i'll play the ****.

        I am paying you £400 a day and you are often late or fall asleep at your desk...

        Why should I not replace you?

        Comment


          #5
          I had a similar issue. I loved going out drinking and clubbing to the early hours and like your girlfriend I would regularly miss alarm calls & early meetings.

          When I explained the issue to them, they told me to stop drinking or they'd fire me. Ridiculous.
          What happens in General, stays in General.
          You know what they say about assumptions!

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by BlasterBates View Post
            What about setting several alarm clocks and louder alarms. This would be preferable than to confessing to mental problems; though she could just say she's been prescribed sleeping tablets, which wouldn't really raise any eyebrows.

            I don't think being late occasionally is a particular problem, just blame it on the traffic or the car.
            This. Make it about the meds, not. The illness.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by original PM View Post
              Ok i'll play the ****.

              I am paying you £400 a day and you are often late or fall asleep at your desk...

              Why should I not replace you?
              This.

              Sorry to hear about your GF but lets take the personal element out of this. She is a professional supplier on a very good rate brought in as she is the best out there. She comes in and misses meetings/falls asleep etc... You see how that looks to a client?

              She's going to be just jumping from one binning to another and just working on a wish and a prayer. She's probably going to be better off financially and mentally going perm. The stress from being binned endlessly must be awful for her and so much time on the bench means she won't be making enough to warrant being a contractor.

              On the personal side money isn't everything, her health and well being is much more important so IMO take her out of that environment and help her get better.

              Don't wish to be rude but 'I've said she should explain her medical situation to her bosses ' shows you don't really understand what she does either. It's her client, not her boss.
              'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by DaveMK View Post
                Hi guys,

                First-time poster, my girlfriend is contracted to a government department. She suffers from anxiety and occasional depression and has to take anti-dep meds daily.

                These meds make her real tired at times and she occasionally sleeps through alarms and misses morning meetings.

                I've said she should explain her medical situation to her bosses so they can understand her situation and not think she's just lazy or not bothered.

                But because she's a contractor she's nervous that they'd just sack her and get someone else in.

                Has anyone had any experience with this? Would love to get some thoughts on common practice and how well or otherwise businesses treat contractors with mental illness like this...

                Thanks!
                She should keep schtum. 'Her bosses' as you refer to them are not her bosses. They do not care about her. There is no HR department.
                They don't need to be dealing with her anxiety/pregnancy/liver failure/broken leg or any other ailment. They do not care and should not care. She is just the same as the plumber you call from the yellow pages to fix a leaking tap. And if that plumber couldn't turn up on time, you'd soon get another one.
                Don't be misled by her contracting to a government department either. Civil servants rarely get sacked so there are plenty of them just itching to pull the trigger on someone they can get rid of - the contractor.

                A concrete example - I was contracting at a government department a few years ago when I got a call that a family member was seriously ill in hospital. I left immediately and as I was driving back I got a call from the department head asking not about the welfare of my family member, but whether I'd be in the next day or whether they needed to get someone else!

                Also - and in the nicest possible way - your girlfriend chose to be a contractor. She does owe it to her clients to fulfil her obligations.

                Dilbert Comic Strip on 1993-09-06 | Dilbert by Scott Adams

                Comment


                  #9
                  Has she been to the doctor to get the medication looked at? Sometimes they can recommend alternatives.

                  Also, has she checked what time of day she should take the medication? Usually they are taken in the morning as they can interfere with sleep.

                  I take it she has tried the CBT and other ways of making things better?

                  As a permanent she could claim equality under the 2010 disability act. This will not apply here.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Surely a wind-up thread?

                    My wife sleeps through alarms on a regular basis.

                    So I wake her up.
                    "Don't part with your illusions; when they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live" Mark Twain

                    Comment

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