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20 February

Best practice employers look beyond absence levels

The government has announced today plans to tackle Britain's 'sick note' culture.

Employers' Forum on Disabililty (EFD) welcomes the Government's efforts to encourage GPs to concentrate on what a patient can do at work, rather than what they can't, with the creation of the 'well note'.

EFD also agrees with the Government that employment is good for people's health and wellbeing.

However, employers who adopt best practice and ensure that their line managers are trained to understand disability, are more able to look beyond absence levels and manage attendance in a way that benefits the business and the individual.

A groundbreaking 'Attendance management and disability' guide published by EFD and sponsored by Unum, sets out how line managers should approach attendance management.

The best practice guide makes it easier to recognise the signs when someone might have a disability; distinguish when absence might be disability related and identify how work could be done differently to maximise the potential of disabled staff.

EFD chief executive Susan Scott-Parker says: “Employers who adopt a best practice approach to the health of their staff are more likely to recognise when absence may be due to disability.

“'Attendance management and disability' is essential and timely reading for all line managers who want to get it right for their disabled colleagues”, Unum corporate services director, Joanne Hindle added.

“For many employers disability in the workplace is viewed as a significant cost and the rich source of talent that is within the disabled community is not widely recognised.

“However, education and training are crucial to changing attitudes and convincing employers that employing disabled talent does make economic sense. At Unum we are keen to help employers understand the best ways to facilitate workplace wellbeing, including attendance management, for disabled employees. This is why we are pleased to be sponsoring this latest valuable guide.”

Providing employers with the right tools to manage their staff more effectively should be at the core of the government's work. Ensuring that the Department of Health joins forces with the Department of Work and Pensions to engage employers in this new agenda will be vital to its success.

Ends

For media enquiries please contact:

Issy Rule
EFD PR & Communications Coordinator
Employers' Forum on Disability press office
Email: issy.rule@employers-forum.co.uk
Telephone: 020 7403 3020

About Employers' Forum on Disability

Employers' Forum on Disability is the employers' organisation focused on disability as it affects employers and service providers.

With over 400 members, EFD represents organisations that employ around 25 per cent of the UK workforce.

Since its establishment in 1991, EFD has worked closely with government and other stakeholders, sharing best practice to make it easier to employ disabled people and serve disabled customers.

About Unum

Unum is the UK's leading provider of group income protection insurance, with over 35 years of experience. Our critical illness and life insurance products enable our customers to purchase complementary protection solutions that together make up a comprehensive protection package.

Our income protection customers benefit from our expertise in the specialist areas of disability, rehabilitation and return-to-work. We enable individuals to protect their incomes, ensuring their financial security if they are unable to work because of illness or injury. For employers, we offer Group Income Protection policies which provide insurance cover for employees' salaries and safeguard one of their most valuable resources by helping employees return to work following long-term absence.

At the end of 2006, Unum protected almost 2 million lives through more than 18,600 schemes. During 2006 we paid total benefit claims of £285 million – of which more than £191 million related to income protection claims.

Our US parent company, Unum Group, traces its history back to 1848 and is today the market leader of group and individual income protection insurance in the United States. Premium income for Unum Group and its subsidiaries exceeded $7.9 billion in the year ended 31 December 2006. Total assets were $52.8 billion at 31 December 2006.

For more information please visit www.unum.co.uk