I have recently been on 5 months’ leave from work due to STD (Short Term Disability) because of Depression. As a result, my Employer terminated my Ex-Pat Assignment, based in Europe, and sent me home to Canada in order to apply for LTD. Except that they would have known that LTD is rarely granted for Depression. That’s Part One.
Part Two is that a fellow employee in Canada has made threats of severe physical violence against me – as recently as a few months ago – and I have these on record (voice recordings), which my Employer (ie my HR business partner) has heard and has copies of. In the letter I have from my Employer, it states that if my LTD claim is denied (which seems likely), and I do not appeal (which I understand also rarely works), I will be expected to return to work here in Canada. Which I cannot do without putting my Personal Safety seriously at risk because of this other employee being in the same office every day. (Note that my Employer knew of these threats before I was sent home to Canada).
So now what do I do? If my LTD application is denied then I am expected to return to work here in Canada - which would be totally fine except for a) my Depression, and b) a fellow employee who wants to kill me (literally). And so then I would have to resign in order to avoid putting my life at risk by going into the office here. I am sure that my Employer knows that that is what I would do. This sounds awfully like Constructive Dismissal to me. Do you have any advice on what I should do?
FYI, I am seeing a Psychiatrist here for a full Assessment in three weeks’ time. After that I can submit my application for LTD. So we have some time to think things through here. Thanks for reading.