Managing cancer at work

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Not everyone diagnosed with cancer will want, or be able, to return to work after treatment but many people attach a strong importance to work and want to get back to it as soon as they can. Katharine MacDonald explains what employers can do to support these employee

Work can provide a sense of selfworth and allows people to focus on their abilities, not just their illness. It can restore normality, stability and social contact. And for many people it is also crucial to regain their income, particularly if they have been on unpaid leave or reduced pay.

However, getting back to work is not always easy and the effects of cancer, or cancer treatment, can be long lasting. This means people often have to deal with physical problems (pain, fatigue and trouble with memory), emotional problems (depression and lack of confidence) and practical problems (needing to take time off for appointments) for months after their treatment ends. Unfortunately, many people end up leaving work altogether when a few changes to their workload, environment or hours may have kept them in work.

Cancer and the Equality Act When someone is diagnosed with cancer, they are automatically categorised as disabled for the purposes of discrimination law and protected from workplace discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 (and before Oct 2010 by the Disability Discrimination Act).

However, there is a lack of awareness among employers of their legal responsibilities. When surveyed recently, most line managers (87%) had heard of the DDA, but fewer than half were aware that it covered cancer.

Like the DDA, the Equality Act 2010 requires employers to make reasonable adjustments for employees with a disability. It also includes important new provisions to prevent indirect discrimination, discrimination arising from disability, and discrimination against carers.

What can employers do to employees with cancer? Make reasonable adjustments The Equality Act requires employers to make reasonable adjustments for employees with a disability. There is no fixed definition of 'reasonable'. What is reasonable will depend on all the circumstances, including practicality, cost, and the extent to which business may be disrupted. Any planned adjustments should be discussed and agreed with the employee or candidate concerned.

Reasonable adjustments for someone with cancer might include: Allowing time off to attend medical appointments Modifying a job description to remove tasks that cause particular difficulty - either on a temporary or permanent basis Being flexible around working hours, or offering the option to work from home Allowing extra breaks to help them cope with fatigue Adjusting performance targets to take into account the effect of sick leave/ fatigue etc on the employee, or giving them a post with more suitable duties Moving a work station, for example to avoid stairs Ensuring easy access to premises for someone who is using a wheelchair or crutches Over 70% of organisations that make workplace adjustments to support people with disabilities consider these easy to implement. Any costs may be fully or partially covered by grants from government schemes such as Access to Work but many adjustments, such as flexible working hours or working from home, have no cost.

Consult an occupational health professional Occupational health advice can help employers and line managers understand their responsibilities, inform business decisions about issues such as workplace adjustments, return-to-work and release of company benefits, and assist in undertaking a risk assessment for employees with cancer.

Look at options for time off Cancer affects everyone differently and some people manage to work throughout their treatment. But for most employees, agreeing time off work will be one of their most pressing needs. Any sickness leave policy should include information on how time off for medical appointments will be dealt with as well as longer-term sickness absence, even if the policy is to leave it to the discretion of the line manager.

Ask Macmillan Cancer Support Macmillan has a range of resources on cancer and work for employees, line managers and organisations. For a guide to the Equality Act, an HR cancer policy template and resources for employees and carers, visit: www.macmillan.org.uk/work Katharine MacDonald is a policy analyst at Macmillan Cancer Support.