Compliance | Absence, disability and reasonable adjustments: The view from an employment lawyer

By Kay Needle, Early Intervention and Rehabilitation Expert at Generali UK Employee Benefits

Fear and disconnection seem to reside at the heart of the combined problems of rising absence and ill-health related economic inactivity in the UK.

And that applies to both employers and employees. Employees are afraid to disclose health conditions, particularly mental health struggles, while employers are fearful of contacting employees on sick leave or taking any action that might lead to a complaint or a tribunal claim.

These are topics that we come across regularly in our discussions with Group Income Protection clients. So it’s perhaps unsurprising that this complex area also represented a top of the list priority when we asked our HR clients what webinar topics they’d like us to focus on. With the help of our guest speaker Crowley Woodford, a Partner at Ashurst LLP, we recently hosted such a webinar. Please feel free to contact us for the full 40-minute recording.* To whet your appetite, here are some key excerpts.