More Hostility Towards Disabled and Long Term Sick

Disabled people and those with long term ill-health are facing higher levels of hostile and negative treatment in the workplace according to new research published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

In a survey of nearly 4000 workers, the British Workplace Behaviour Survey 2008, conducted by Cardiff University and the University of Glamorgan, found employees with a disability or long-term illness reported they were more likely to have negative experiences at work. These experiences range from low expectations of workers, bullying and humiliation to, in some cases, physical violence. Findings included:

• 25% of people with a disability or long-term illness said someone was continually checking up on them and their work when it was not necessary compared to 19.4% of people without a disability or long-term illness.
• 22.5% of people with a disability or long-term illness said they had been the subject to persistent unfair  criticism of their work and performance compared to 13.4% of people without a disability or long-term illness.
• 13.4% of people with a disability or long-term illness said they had been humiliated or ridiculed in connection with their work compared to 8.7% for people without a disability or long-term

Ahead of the upcoming Equality Bill, the Commission will ask whether existing equality laws provide clear enough protection to disabled individuals at risk of bullying and harassment at work, for example, in relation to ill-treatment by clients or customers.

As the Government moves to introduce welfare reforms designed to enable more disabled people to enter work, the Commission hopes the issues raised in today’s report will be addressed.

Nicola Brewer, Chief Executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission said: “In these difficult economic times we must do all we can to help as many people as possible to stay in work. If disabled people and those with long-term ill health are more likely to experience hostile and negative treatment at work, we risk losing both their talent and their economic contribution.

“Disabled people and those with long term ill-health should be supported to get into, or back into, work, but they’ll only stay in work if they are treated with dignity and respect.”

A copy of the research report can be downloaded from the EHRC website.

HSE Launch Major Safety Strategy Consultation

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a consultation on its new strategy: The Health and Safety of Great Britain, Be Part of the Solution.  The strategy, which is resetting the direction for health and safety, sets out a number of goals to be achieved:

These include

• HSE and Local Authorities continuing to work together to investigate work related incidents and secure justice
• Encouraging strong leadership and championing a common sense approach to health and safety
• Building competence of those charged with delivering health and safety in workplaces
• Promoting the benefits of worker involvement

The HSE is holding a series of regional workshops across GB in January 2009. Key stakeholders will be invited to give HSE their views on the strategy and pledge their support on its delivery. The workshops will begin in Liverpool on 8 January 2009, followed by Newcastle (13 January), Bristol (15 January), Birmingham (20 January), Cardiff (22 January), London (27 January) and Glasgow (29 January). Attendance is by invitation only but to register interest, visit the special HSE web page or telephone 01772 767717.

Those wishing to take part in the online/written consultation can do so by visiting www.hse.gov.uk/strategy where they will find the HSE strategy and its supporting documents.