I have an employee who experiences a extremely high level of absence due to anxiety, depression and panic attacks and has done for approximately 6 years. Their employment with the company is at 12 years but I cannot find previous records of absence previous to the 6 years documented.
With their condition and continual absence, wellbeing conversations have been had, adjustments have been made within the role and with working hours, occupational health reports have been undertaken however, the employee is still at high levels of absence and does not seem to be getting better within themselves. The last occupational health report declared that the employee was not fit for work but the employee advised that they feel they want to work. The main reason for this is financial.
As a company we have tried to assist and help with as much as reasonably possible, we have made reasonable and flexible adjustments and other employees have been more than present in their day-to-day life, calling to make sure they are dressed and how they feel in the morning before work etc. There are consistent calls to HR and the MHFA's onsite that they are struggling with panic attacks and they have been directed to their GP, the crisis team and other mental health helplines.
It has now gotten to the point that this cannot continue (and perhaps shouldn't have even continued this long) - It is effecting their department, it is effecting their colleagues and the overall business.
The situation is, yes we do have reason cause for dismissal on capability and absence. But the feeling is that work is their only certainty and if they were to lose their job, this would make them and the subsequent consequences worse. They continue to work for financial reasons and we have advised that there is other help there but they are not willing to accept this.
An extremely difficult situation - can we continue with employment even with everything mentioned above or do we dismiss?
