Too few disabled people employed, TUC warns

Too few disabled people are being taken on by employers and too may are losing their jobs, according to a report published by trade union the TUC today.

It puts forward a three point plan on how more disabled people can be helped to stay in employment or to find suitable jobs.

The TUC says that thousands of people who become disabled after being injured at work are never able to return due to so few UK employers having proper rehabilitation policies.

It calls on the government to remind employers that they can be taken to court under the Disability Discrimination Act and fined for treating disabled employees or job applicants unfairly.

The TUC also asks ministers to put additional resources into the Access to Work scheme, which gives financial help to employers who face extra costs because they employ disabled workers, and to publicise it more.

Other recommendations include for every employer to be required to draw up a return to work plan for any member of staff temporarily forced to leave their job through ill health or injury.

It also calls for the government to introduce disability leave to give employees the right to take time off while they are undergoing rehabilitation treatment or while changes are being made to their workplace to enable them to continue in their jobs.