The suggested changes would see Britain’s lowest-paid
employees become eligible for Statutory Sick Pay for the
first time, with small businesses potentially being
offered a sick pay rebate for effectively managing
employees on sick leave and helping them back into work.
The government wants to evaluate the effect of its
proposals on businesses, individuals and the occupational
health profession and is urging them to provide feedback
through the consultation, which runs for another 6 weeks.
Minister for Disabled People said:
I’m calling on employers from across the country to
tell us what they think about our proposals to
transform support for sick and disabled staff.
Sickness absence currently costs British employers £9
billion a year. By helping those on long-term sick
leave to keep their job, we are not only supporting
employees, we are also supporting employers.
Our consultation is a welcome step towards improving
working practices and ensuring that disabled people and
those with health conditions receive the support they
need to stay in work.
Each year more than 100,000 people leave work following a
spell of long-term sickness absence lasting at least 4
weeks.
Other proposals include encouraging early action by
employers to support individuals when they are off work,
facilitating more workplace modifications, improving the
availability of occupational health services and
improving advice so that employers understand and are
able to act to support employees.
Mike Cherry, National Chairman of the Federation of Small
Businesses, said:
Making sure our small firms get the right support to
nurture and empower those with a disability is vital in
creating inclusive communities.
Putting a Statutory Sick Pay rebate onto the agenda is
the right thing to do, and it should be the cornerstone
of a new package of measures that injects confidence in
the small business community to continue being a great
route for employment, particularly for those who have a
disability.
This will not only be instrumental in retaining staff
but will also help attracting staff.
Ben Willmott, Head of Public Policy at the Chartered
Institute for Professional Development (CIPD),
said:
The government’s consultation contains far-reaching
proposals to improve the employment prospects of people
with a health condition, and the CIPDwelcomes
the planned reforms.
Many people with a health condition are currently
unable to get the support they need to access or remain
in work, and we need a big step change to develop fully
inclusive workplaces. The consultation puts forward a
holistic package of measures that could help, such as
introducing a more flexible approach to Statutory Sick
Pay that would enable a phased return to work.
However, careful thought is needed about how these
proposals could work in practice, such as who should be
eligible to request a workplace modification and on
what grounds this could be refused. Therefore, it’s
vital that organisations take this opportunity to give
feedback.
Responding to the consultation
The consultation closes on 7 October 2019. You can also
share your views using the hashtag #workandhealth.
