Age 67 and have to attend informal attendance support meeting

Bea, do not go into your interview with the attitude that the 23 year old knows nothing and has only been appointed because of nepotism; he is just as likely to be sympathetic and in awe of your experience. After an illness it is standard practice to have a one- to -one meeting to assess that you are fully fit to return to work, and how you wish to continue your employment: shorter hours etc. This happens to women returning to work after childbirth as standard.
You have to remember that you are past retirement age, and you had sick leave because of a fall, (did this happen when you were working?. )Your employers have to be reassured that you are fit and able .to take on the work without damage to yourself and are not being expected to take on too much.

To give the employers the benefit of the doubt here, they do have a duty to make “reasonable adjustments” in relation to any disability you may have and assist your safe return to work.

I’m quite shocked that you are 67 with a disability and feel you cannot afford to retire. I think your energies would be better spent in looking at how to increase your income. Please make an appointment with the Citizens Advise Bureau or Age UK. You may qualify for disability benefits and Pension Credit. Which would make your retirement much more achievable. If you try to do this as soon as possible, you will have a better idea if you actually need to work yourself into the ground when you have your work meeting. Hope you let us know how you get on !

I’m not a worrier but have sympathy with those who are.
I had a 21 yr old suddenly my superior, ( Daddy had bought the business for her )
Grief wasn’t she a nasty little bit of work. Even picked on a woman who had a stoma saying she could only go to cleaning jobs , not ones needing nursing care incase her stoma bag started to stink. When she told me off for staying with a client who had died during my shift with him, staying until the undertakers arrived. Telling me that she hoped I didn’t expect overtime payment for staying on after my shift ended, well that was the end for me and I walked away.
Having a widow’s pension meant that I didn’t fully rely on my job to live, so if I didn’t like a job I could always take my time before finding another. I truly don’t know how I’d have acted if I actually needed the job.

Read your employer's HR policies relating to sickness absence before the meeting as return to work interviews are common place in terms of absent management. There is no need to discuss your retirement plans or your financial situation unless you wish to. Best to keep the conversation on point relating to the policy issues and not be side tracked into saying something to your relatively inexperienced manager you might end up regretting.

The business may have a return to work process. You should be aware of anything like that eg employment contract. Don't worry about it, your concerns may be unfounded. Perhaps being absent from work for sometime your anxiety level is understandably higher than usual. Should you go back and you find it unbearable then perhaps you should explore any state funding entitlement. If there is a Union you can joint that too could be helpful. A Union will know your entitlements and represent you if yoh have issues with your supervisor, or any other work problem. Do hope your worry is unfounded. Good Luck.

easybee - absolutely correct. She should not go into an interview ragging on about the (perceived) incompetence or immaturity of a 23 yr old manager.

I was ragging on about my own experience along my life’s work in a certain situation regarding a manager decades younger that I was.

Just go into the interview with your disability questions to seek answers. Leave him out of it. They will work with you.
You gave good advice.

Thanks, Gundy!

It is every bit as bad to judge someone for her youth as it is to make assumptions about older age.

A bad manager is a bad manager, regardless of age or sex.

Anyway - how did you get on, Bea? Has the interview happened yet?

It sounds like a return to work interview , I did them regularly when working. It should be a two sided interview, your manager asking how they can help getting you back into work , e.g. starting later finish earlier , any adjustments to chairs / desks . Go with a positive approach and don’t be defensive. You can have someone else present with you just listening and taking notes . On the other hand as other people have said if it’s just a financial reason for returning, look at other options and check out extra benefits like pension credit which opens up access to other benefits too. Good luck !

Perhaps it's as simple as a 'return to work' talk.

I talk to my husband's workers if they are returning after a prolonged time, to assess how he can help them - not to pressurise, rather to help discern their comfort working. His workers are mostly under 50, my age has no bearing on my ability to work out if they are ready and able to return.

This person, age unrelated to job, is looking after you, imo.

Hi GNs
It’s this afternoon…

Good luck, keep calm and don’t have any preconceived views about what the young supervisor may say. Take it as it comes and take your time to answer questions carefully.

If it's not too late to make a suggestion, take a notebook and pen in with you, and be seen to be making notes. You can ask the manager to repeat something or hang on a minute whilst you write down what they say - don't be rushed. If you feel up to it, ask them to read your notes and sign them as a true record. Knowing that there is a record will concentrate the mind.

Good luck. Remember that you have done nothing wrong, you are not on trial. Treat it as an exchange of information rather than an interrogation.

Good luck !

i think it's a virtual meeting.

from the OP,

any advice on how to answer the ??s they may pose in this online zoom mtg

Let them see that you are taking notes, or ask if the meeting can be recorded.

It's difficult to advise on how to answer questions without knowing what they are going to be, but use phrases such as 'duty of care' and 'reasonable adjustments', and be clear about what you hope to get out of the meeting. It might not be what happens, but both of you should know what you want and make that clear as a basis for negotiation.

It may be that you both want the same thing - an easy return to work with transitional arrangements in place - so if that is cleared up at the start it can save a lot of angst.

Dare I ask how it went?

Not good-started off ok as was told this is a safe place and all discussion confidential but they wanted to know all meds I’m on and full details of medical conditions- I said Occ Health know about medical conditions etc..but they couldn’t find report on laptop- also they stated they want all staff to return to workplace working- I said I couldn’t do this .. I had reasonable adjustments put in place 2yrs ago as have reduced mobility etc When pushed about my present health issues I felt very uncomfortable and almost getting upset so stayed silent -HR adjourned mtg.stating they needed an OH review which I agreed to-have joined Union this morning- feeling very deflated and bit bullied-think I’m done with this job!!

If the company has now adopted a policy of all staff returning to workplace working, and they have a rationale for doing this based on productivity or whatever other reasons they can cite, that will influence your position considerably from what you have said. If I were you I’d ask for more information about that aspect of the meeting before your next review so that you can go in prepared.

Try and take someone with you to the next hearing. it alwys helps to have someone with you.

It really does. You can take a friend if the union aren't prepared to represent you. They don't have to say anything, but can make notes - notes are really important, particularly if you get them signed off as an accurate record - and they can give moral support.

Casdon is right that you need full information about the return to workplace working. I don't think it is a right to wfh - usually it is at the employer's discretion, but I left work before the pandemic, so I'm not sure of the legal position on that. A quick Google suggests that employees have the right to request the right to work flexibly, but that employers only have to consider it, and should not refuse 'unreasonably', which is open to interpretation.

I get the impression that Bea may have been allowed to wfh as part of ‘reasonable adjustments’ to accommodate her lack of mobility. If that’s the case the employer shouldn’t be seeking to renege on that concession. Bea, you must disclose all your medical conditions, not keep silent, which it seems caused the meeting to be brought to a close. Your employer needs to know these things. Hopefully you will get good advice from the union.

Go to the next meeting with a list of all your medication and a report about your medical conditions and present health issues; they do have a right to ask about this, for your protection and theirs. I am assuming you wish to resume work under the same conditions as were in place when you went on sick leave.
I believe you can request flexible working conditions but in accord with the needs of the organisation and this is what needs to be discussed. If you stay silent when asked pertinent questions it is difficult for an arrangement to be reached; they have adjourned the meeting to gather further information which you would be foolish not to supply. I don't think you were bullied.
Take someone in with you at the next meeting, and find out as much information about procedures from your union before you proceed.