New research has revealed that the number of cancer patients who have been discriminated against in the workplace has risen.
Cancer charity Macmillan Cancer Support and YouGov released the research in a bid to remind employers that it is their legal responsibility to ensure that employees living with cancer are treated fairly at work.
Thirty-seven per cent of staff members who returned to work following cancer treatment reported that they had experienced some kind of discrimination at the hands of either their employer or colleagues. This figure represents a rise on the 23 per cent who reported suffering discrimination in the workplace in 2010.
One in ten of the survey respondents – which comprised over 2,000 adults living with cancer in the UK – reported that they felt discriminated against to the point that they were unable to remain in their job. One in eight reported that their employer had not made allowances or “reasonable changes” to allow them to continue doing their job. Staff also said that they had been denied time off for medical appointments and denied promotions.
Chief executive at Macmillan cancer support, Ciaran Devane, said: “Employers are risking prosecution by flouting their legal responsibility to protect people living with cancer from unfair treatment and stigma at work.
“There needs to be far more understanding of cancer and how the effects of treatment may impact on people returning to work,” he added.
Employers must ensure that they fulfil their obligations to employees who are returning to work following cancer treatment under the Equality Act 2010. Putting a back to work plan in place or making reasonable changes to the employee’s working hours or environment was also key, the cancer charity concluded.