Landrover's Worker On Sick Leave Returns - forgotten man was remembered afterall - source BNET

Worker On Sick Leave Returns

A MAN who claimed he was frozen out by Land Rover after being off sick has returned to work.



Production line worker Bob Fiddaman has not done a single hour's work for two years because the Solihull 4x4 specialist claims it could not find him an alternative job after he was struck down by osteoarthritis.


He remained on the company's long-term absence register despite being declared fit for non-manual work.


Following a Sunday Mercury story two months ago - in which we dubbed Mr Fiddaman, 36, from Yardley, Birmingham, 'Land Rover's Forgotten Man' - the company invited him in to discuss his situation.


He is now back at work on full-pay in a desk job which is due to last until September.



Mr Fiddaman said he was still planning to take Land Rover to tribunal, claiming discrimination.


Meanwhile, another employee on Land Rover's long-term absence register is also waiting to hear if another job has been found for him.


Solihull man David Busst, 49, went off sick from his job as a skilled fitter in 1992 but felt fit enough to return to non-manual work in 1996. He said company bosses had told him they could not find him another role.


A Land Rover spokesman said: 'Employees go on to the long-term absence register once their sick pay has been exhausted. When they reach a point where they feel they can return to work, we do what we can to find them employment on the site.


CAPTION(S):


DESK JOB... Bob Fiddaman


COPYRIGHT 2001 Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd
COPYRIGHT 2009 Gale, Cengage Learning

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7995/is_2001_July_1/ai_n36359802/