Are You Off Work?
Your employer
Make sure your employer knows that you want to return to work. If they know you have a serious illness or injury, they may assume that you don’t want to, or can’t work. Let them know that you'd like to return to work, and discuss with them what changes might be needed to allow you to do this.
You might think that you can’t do your job, but you may have rights to seek adjustments to your workplace to help you do your job despite your illness or injury. This could mean adjusting tasks to suit your new situation or changing working hours.
The Disability Discrimination Act places duties on employers to help people stay in work if they become injured or develop a health condition, including cancers and mental health problems.
Where it’s not possible for you to do the job you used to do, you may still have rights to be accommodated in a different position with equal status with the same employer and at the same rate of pay.
Further information on returning to work after illness or injury
Jobcentre Plus
Your local Jobcentre Plus can advise both you and your employer on how you can be helped to return to work.
→ Find your local Jobcentre Plus (external site)
Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
The EHRC advises on issues around disability, including disability discrimination and employment rights for people with disabilities and health conditions. The EHRC also has much useful information available to download or order.
You can call the EHRC Scotland Helpline on 0845 604 5510 or Textphone 0845 604 5520, from 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday.
→ Visit the EHRC website (external site)
