Employment Tribunals are receiving more and more claims for disability discrimination. Several reports have been published on various aspects of health and safety and the need to combat workplace stress. Last June, new targets were set by the Government to achieve 80,000 fewer cases of work related ill health and a reduction of lost working days by 7.5 million per year. However, this will take ten years to achieve. According to one report the annual cost to UK business is over 11 billion.
Research shows employees are becoming more aware of their rights.
Take the following example. Experienced development and marketing manger joins a growing IT business. A year later he is working most evenings until 7 or 8 and taking work home every weekend. On Monday morning his wife calls to inform you that he suffered a heart attack on Saturday evening and is now in the Cardiac Care Unit of the local Hospital. His wife has been told he is lucky to have survived and fingers crossed he should make a good recovery but is likely to be off work for the next three months.