Wanting to reduce ill-health related job loss in the UK, in July this year the government launched a
consultation entitled “Health is everyone’s business: proposals for reducing ill health-related job loss.”
This joint consultation between the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and Social Care will ask for views on the various proposals. These include:
, how to improve and increase access to occupational health services (OHS), including subsidising the cost of OHS for SMEs and the quality of OHS;
, major reforms to the statutory sick pay (SSP) system, including SSP payment on a pro rata basis during an employee’s phased return to work after a period of sickness absence, removing the concept
of qualifying days, and eliminating the lower earnings limit for eligibility;
, a new right for non-disabled employees to request workplace modifications to assist their return from sick leave, which would be supported by a new Code of Practice and enforceable in the
employment tribunal.
The proposed measures will also encourage employers to take increased responsibility and be actively involved in minimising illhealth-related job loss.
Employers have a key role to play in supporting their employees’ health and well-being and the launch of this consultation reflects this. The consultation will end in October 2019, and we will ensure you are updated.
