Unions dismiss sickness absence proposals

ILL employees could be forced back to work too soon if the Government accepts recommendations to try to tackle long-term sickness, union leaders have warned.

By The Newsroom

Published 22nd Nov 2011, 06:00 BST

An independent review said that under the current system, people were often “pushed away”, with little support for returning to work.

The review recommended a new independent service that would take referrals from employers and GPs, claiming the move could save about £100m a year.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the current method of certification and pay did not need overhauling.

“Unions are concerned that however well-intended this report, there is a danger it will be seized upon by some rogue employers as an excuse to force people back to work before they are good and ready,” he said.

“The report also fails to address the huge issue of ‘presenteeism’ where workers come in to work when they should be off sick, despite evidence that this is a major and growing problem in the workplace.”