Amari is a disabled man whose employer had hired him on the understanding they would make adaptations to accommodate his disability.
A month into his employment, his condition worsened, and he had to go on sick leave. As he had considerable savings, he had no entitlement to Universal Credit. Citizens Advice Runnymede and Spelthorne advised him on his current entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and how he would be entitled to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) when SSP ended. We advised when and how to apply for this.
The client had no contractual sick pay but a form of private health insurance that came with his work. We advised how this would affect his ESA.
The client wanted to know if his employer could dismiss him and, as he was disabled, if this might be discrimination. We advised that his employer could dismiss him but that they had to explore making reasonable adaptations first. We signposted him to ACAS and the Equality Advisory and Support Service, and to the Law Society if he needed a solicitor. Amari has also been referred for further support at home.