'Preventing sickness absence becoming job loss' - HSE Report

A new Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guide for safety and other trade union representatives 'suggests ways in which you can work in partnership with employers and the workers you represent to help prevent illness, injury and disability leading to prolonged sickness absence and job loss.'

HSE says its 11 page leaflet describes six ways union reps can achieve this:

• Helping to identify measures to improve worker health and prevent it being made worse by work
  

• suggesting the employer develops workplace plans and policies on sickness absence management
  

• helping to keep workers who are on sick leave in touch with work
  

• helping the employer to plan adjustments that will enable sick workers to return to work
  

• supporting sick workers to help them to return to work
  
  and
  

• helping to promote understanding of health conditions and disability in the workplace.

See: Working together to prevent sickness absence becoming job loss: Practical advice for safety and other trade union representatives - 2005 (pdf - opens in a new window).