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Well Issue 3: Autumn/Winter 2003/04
Tanya Green
A "see me" media volunteer, describes her experience with an unsympathetic employer...
Tanya Green, 31, from Grantown-on-Spey was completely honest about her manic depression when she applied for a barmaid's job. She was offered the position and five months later was promoted to Assistant Bar Manager. The trouble was, that there was no Bar Manager.
Tanya says: "I was having to do two people's jobs when I was really only trained to be an Assistant Bar Manager and it got very stressful. It's important with manic depression not to get too stressed, and I knew that if I didn't do something about it I could get really ill again. My doctor wanted to sign me off for four weeks but I didn't want to let the hotel down for so long, so he signed me off for two weeks.
"But I then received a letter saying that I was being paid off because of a downturn in business - but it was two weeks into the busy party season so I knew that wasn't the real reason. It was also two weeks before the two-year cut-off date when I could have taken my employer to an industrial tribunal.
"I was angry and upset. No one had taken the trouble to ask me about the illness when I applied for the job, then I could have explained to them how I can avoid a recurrence. Then they were completely unsupportive when I was trying to handle two jobs at once.
"When people don't understand about mental illness they think you're lazy, irresponsible or skiving. At least I was honest with them. I could have said I had a bout of the flu - but why should I lie? I was obviously capable of doing the job, or I wouldn't have got the promotion."
Tanya has since taken a short business course and has now established herself as a Reiki practitioner, offering the Japanese technique of "hands-on" healing which is aimed at balancing a person's emotional, mental and physical energy centres.
"After the hotel experience I wanted to move on and create my own 'job'. I had learned Reiki for myself a few years ago and I'm now able to use it to help my clients. Having my own business has been a huge boost to my confidence."
Business Gateway
Tel: 0845 609 6611
www.bgateway.com
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