Call for Case Studies

Happy Saturday friends - we all hope you’re enjoying your weekends or that work isn’t too heavy on you.

Those of you who follow some of us on social media or are in the Keyworker Petition Campaign closed group on Facebook will know that we have been asking for people to contact us with case studies around ill health retirement in Scotland.

As a result of others outside of Scotland who have contacted us and more information coming forwards, we would like to extend this.

If you are in any part of the U.K. or know anyone affected by the following, we would ask you to please contact us. You can do this by emailing us, sending a message to us on Twitter or contacting Cass on Facebook. We are particularly interested to know about:

-Those with Long Covid who have been told not to bother applying for IHR

-Those with Long Covid who have applied for IHR and been turned down (we would particularly like to know the reasons given)

-Those who have had conditions for appeals or otherwise (such as being granted Tier 1 or Tier 2) that cannot currently be met - for example being told they have to have seen a Long Covid clinic or service where those don’t exist in their area.

We would like to prepare a case study report into this issue for elected representatives around the U.K., as well as the wider media. We would like to reassure everyone that your details will remain anonymous if you choose. We do need to see evidence of the information you’ve been given in terms of IHR decisions by public or other pension agencies, but if we need to use this, we assure you that there will be no identifying data in there, such as address, name etc.

We have also heard that those applying for career breaks, to try and give them a chance to recover, have had these refused: If this has happened within the last three months, you really should consider raising a grievance with the employer under the Equalities Act as well as an Employment Tribunal for discrimination - please check the ACAS website about this. We know how hard this is to do when you are not feeling well, but your unions and other agencies like Citizens’ Advice should be able to help with this - as the time allowed for these claims is so short, it’s important to act quickly, as it’s rare exceptions will be allowed. You should also consider the same when reasonable adjustments are being refused, including altered schedules, equipment and so on.

Ideally we would like case studies from across keyworker sectors and the U.K. and we are also considering sending FOIs to the public pension agencies to ask about the evidence or research being used for these decisions, with a view to challenging this in the report with Long Covid research, as well as information related to the SARS epidemics as well.

What is absolutely clear to us is that there is active discrimination going on against Keyworkers with Long Covid in the U.K. and on top of a lack of compensation, this is causing active distress to many who are suffering the ongoing effects of the pandemic.

Finally, we do have further plans around this, with the idea of also creating a survey (or two) as an update around what’s currently the situation for our community as further data for elected representatives. Once we release the case study, it’s likely we will come up with more activities supporters could take part in, if you wish. That’s a long way off!

We hear regularly from people affected and also all of you how important the issues affecting our community are and that, no matter how little it often is, you appreciate what we are trying to do and that means the world. Really.

Have a good weekend and remember that the only way to avoid becoming like us is to avoid catching Covid.