Hi everyone,
Today I came across a consultation that the Department of Health and Department of Work and Pensions are conducting.
They are looking at changes they could make to get more disabled people and people with long term conditions into work, including:
1. expanding the equality act to cover all long term health conditions, not just those classed as disabilities
(all cancer are already classed as disabilities but this is not widely known by all employers, so this new idea may still benefit cancer patients by increasing awareness of the need for support)
2. changes to Statutory Sick Pay, so people working non-traditional hours can get access
3. Increasing the provision of occupational health services
4. A campaign to improve awareness of reasonable adjustments and long term ill employee rights among employers, especially smaller ones without HR departments.
As Advocacy Officer, I have heard from people struggling to know what their rights or to talk about them with work. Does it please you to hear that the government are addressing this from the employer's side? Is there anything you think they have missed that might help?
Full details here, plus how to respond if you want to: gov.uk/government/consultat....