Poor health? Get help.
Health causing you problems at work? Boss unsympathetic? Colleagues giving you a hard time? Too embarrassed or afraid to talk about it?
If you have a long term health condition which is having an impact on your life, within or outside of work, you may be entitled to help from your employer.
Around 10 million people in Britain have a long term health condition that entitles them to protection under the Disability Discrimination Act. Most don't think of themselves as disabled. But if you have arthritis, diabetes, cancer or a heart or mental health condition that effects you work, the Act is on your side.
Most people in this situation don't need much, just a bit of practical help:
Some employers get it right from the start, but others need a prompt to realise hey have a legal duty to help you - or that support can help the both of you.
Access to Work
Jobcentre Plus has specialist advisers who can help you get back to work, and can discuss how to provide support if you're already employed.
Ask an adviser about Access to Work. It's a free government scheme with advisers to help both you and your employer. They can help sort out any changes you need to help you do your job. Most changes cost nothing, but if there are extra costs involved, Access to Work might be able to provide a Grant.
If you have a long term health condition which is having an impact on your life, within or outside of work, you may be entitled to help from your employer.
Around 10 million people in Britain have a long term health condition that entitles them to protection under the Disability Discrimination Act. Most don't think of themselves as disabled. But if you have arthritis, diabetes, cancer or a heart or mental health condition that effects you work, the Act is on your side.
Most people in this situation don't need much, just a bit of practical help:
- Adapted tools,
- Better lighting.
- A bit of retraining
- being taken off heavy-lifting duties
- flexible hours so you can get Drs appointments or avoid rush hour if it makes you anxious
Some employers get it right from the start, but others need a prompt to realise hey have a legal duty to help you - or that support can help the both of you.
Access to Work
Jobcentre Plus has specialist advisers who can help you get back to work, and can discuss how to provide support if you're already employed.
Ask an adviser about Access to Work. It's a free government scheme with advisers to help both you and your employer. They can help sort out any changes you need to help you do your job. Most changes cost nothing, but if there are extra costs involved, Access to Work might be able to provide a Grant.
Shirley Whalley has been the business manager of Merseyside school since 1999. When she found out she had breast cancer, her employers did everything they could to help her stay in work.
They gave her a laptop s she could work at home while she was getting treatment. They arranged for work-related mail to be delivered there. The rescheduled staff meetings for the evenings, to avoid the risk of infection from children (because chemotherapy had weakened her immune system). And colleagues shared out some of her duties between themselves to ease her workload. Shirley stayed on full pay throughout.
Shirley says; ''I can never thank my employers enough for the support they gave me through a very difficult and stressful time. It meant my family and I were able to concentrate on my treatment and recovery, without the added worry of work or money problems.''
If you're having health-related problems at work and want to find out more contact the Disability Rights Commission.