Emma recently met organisers of an important campaign which aims to ensure that employers provide appropriate support and understanding to employees who are living with terminal illness. Current employment legislation provides little protection for people in this situation. Employers are still allowed to dismiss a terminally ill employee if they fail a capability assessment with ‘reasonable adjustments’.
The TUC, which is conducting the ‘Dying to Work’ campaign, have been made aware of a number of cases where people have been dismissed from their jobs in the final months of their lives. In addition to the stress this places on them and their families it can also deny people of their end of life choices and where applicable, death in service benefits that they have planned for and earned.
Of course, not everyone chooses to or can continue to work whilst battling terminal illness. But for those people who do, we must ask employers to be mindful that for some people, continuing to work can aid a sense of normality, provide dignity, security and stability at a time when they need it most.
The ‘Dying to Work’ campaign is asking for a change in legislation to change the employment status of terminal illness to a ‘protected characteristic’ providing a period where the person could not be dismissed because of their illness. They are also promoting a sample Charter to be used by employers as best practice. Emma is encouraging people to take a look at the campaign’s website at: www.dyingtowork.co.uk. You can also sign the campaign’s petition there.