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Managing ill health and disability at work

Managing ill health and disability at work. Nicola Lee Adviser RCN Employment Relations and Welfare Rights and Guidance. Overview. Some facts and figures Effective absence management Supporting employment Income maximisation – inc pension options. Lies, damned lies and statistics.

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Managing ill health and disability at work

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  1. Managing ill health and disability at work Nicola Lee Adviser RCN Employment Relations and Welfare Rights and Guidance

  2. Overview • Some facts and figures • Effective absence management • Supporting employment • Income maximisation – inc pension options

  3. Lies, damned lies and statistics • Sickness absence costs UK plc £12 billion each year • Equivalent to £495 for each employed earner (direct costs) • £3 million per year in NHS • 9.6 million disabled people (DDA definition) – 15% of population • 1 in 4 households affected by disability • 70% develop impairment in working age • 21% of people with mental health problems are employed

  4. Absence management – the usual route? • Problems at work – unreported or unresolved • Goes off sick – rings in and leaves a message • Sends sick note • No other communication • Trigger point passed – ref to OH (if you’re lucky) and summonsed to meeting with management at short notice • Or no contact until sick pay ends • Embattled and negative experience all round

  5. Absence management- a better route? • Early intervention – may prevent absence? • Ref to OH within 2-8 weeks • Priority treatment? • Regular and appropriate communication • Case conference style meetings • Phased return to work • Rehabilitation • Redeployment • Supportive, empowering and solution focussed

  6. Guidance and guidelines • For NHS – AFC handbook – Section 14 and Annex Z • DoH “Blue book” • NICE – recommended practice, proven to be cost effective

  7. A word on sick pay • Contractual - entitlement should be written in policy/staff handbook/etc… • Statutory Sick pay - • paid after 4 day’s absence regardless of contractual entitlement • component part of full pay, usually paid on top of half pay • 28 weeks (currently £79.15 per week) • Linking period = 8 weeks • Transfer to Employment and Support Allowance • SSP – Leavers’ statement form

  8. Supporting employment • Early intervention - priority treatment • Communication and co-operation • Rehabilitation • Phased return • Redeployment • Reasonable Adjustments Utilise internal and external expertise

  9. Access to work • Government money to support disabled people in work • Adjustments and adaptations • Travel to work • Coaching and occupational psychology support • Support workers • Accessed through local JobCentre Plus office – Disability Employment Adviser • Employer contribution expected if existing member of staff – but negligible compared to costs of losing staff member

  10. Income maximisation • Statutory Sick Pay • Employment and Support Allowance • Injury benefits (DWP and NHS) • Disability Living Allowance • Tax credits • Occupational pension – ill health benefits

  11. Ill Health Retirement from NHS Pension • Two tier system • Unable to do own job = Tier 1 (accrued service only) • Unable to do “regular employment” = Tier 2 (enhanced by 2/3rds prospective service to NPA or 4 years) • Future employment is possible under both tiers – with some restrictions

  12. Working again after IHR • Tier 1 – income restriction only in NHS employment • Tier 2 – all employment over NI LEL* will reduce pension to T1 level. * currently £4940 pa • Can earn up to NI LEL every year in non-NHS employment but only for 1 year in NHS. • If pension reduced to T1 – 12 months to reclaim T2 entitlement. • For all – only “unearned portion” of pension can be abated

  13. Health, work and wellbeing • Good work is good for us • Ill health needs to be effectively managed at work • Disability does not always equate to incapacity • Employer cost benefits are real and demonstrable

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