Cancer | Overcoming in-work and return-to-work barriers

There has arguably never been a more urgent need for employers to review the support they provide to employees with cancer: from prevention, pre- and post-diagnosis, to return-to-work planning. We recently brought together cancer and Vocational Rehabilitations experts to discuss the current state of support and what “good” looks like. This article provides an overview. For the full discussion, take a listen to our latest podcast here.

Research published earlier this year found that despite advances in cancer survival over recent years “the proportion of people living with cancer who return successfully to work remains disappointingly low”. 

The research estimated that job loss was experienced by up to 53% of people living with cancer and unemployment can be 1.4 times more likely. Among those who returned to work, knowledge of the Equality Act 2010 “was low at 57%”. 

Cancer is viewed as a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, says Kay Needle, early intervention and rehabilitation expert at Generali UK Employee Benefits. “And unlike other conditions that are expected to endure for at least 12 months to be classed as a disability under the Equality Act, cancer is automatically included within this definition from the first day of diagnosis. This means that there is an obligation on the employer to make reasonable adjustments.”