Equality Bill will ban pre-employment health enquiries
Amendments to the Equality Bill in the House of Lords will prohibit pre-employment health screening until after an individual is given a conditional job offer. The amended clause 60, Enquiries about disability and health, will mean that employers will not be able to ask about the health of a job applicant before the job offer, other than for the purpose of making reasonable adjustments to the interview or assessment process, diversity monitoring and where a job is only open to people with a specific disability.
Fit note response
The government has issued its response to the consultation on draft regulations to reform the medical statement. It summarises the submissions to last year’s consultation document and sets out the government’s views on how the new ‘fit note’ will work in practice. The Social Security (Medical Evidence) and the Statutory Sick Pay (Medical Evidence) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 will come into force on 6 April 2010.
www.dwp.gov.uk
Director’s duties
Labour MP Frank Doran has introduced a private members’ Bill to amend the Health and Safety at Work etc Act. The Health and Safety (Company Director Liability) Bill 2009–10 will place a positive duty on company directors to ensure health and safety in their organisations. The Bill is due to receive its second reading on 23 April.
http://services.parliament.uk
Passing the baby
The government has announced plans for fathers to take up to six months’ paternity leave. The proposal, which would apply to parents of children due on or after 3 April 2011, would enable fathers to take paid time off during the second half of a baby’s first year if the mother returns to the workplace.
http://nds.coi.gov.uk
Smoke-free doorways?
As part of its new strategy to cut the number of smokers in the UK, the government is planning to review existing legislation outlawing smoking in the workplace. The review will include, for example, whether to extend legislation from enclosed public places and workplaces to areas like entrances to buildings.
www.dh.gov.uk
Reasonable adjustments
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has held that there is no duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 if the employer is unaware of the particular effect of the claimant’s disability. The obligation to make adjustments requires knowledge both about the disability and its effect.
Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions v Alam.
UKEAT/0242/09/LA.
Medical diversity
Despite demographic changes in medical schools over the past few years, the majority of medical school students in the UK are still drawn from professional and managerial backgrounds, according to research by the British Medical Association.
www.bma.org.uk
UK anti-discrimination laws criticised
The European Commission has informed the government that UK laws do not comply with the Equal Treatment Directive (2000/78/EC). The ‘reasoned opinion’ issued by the commission says the UK has failed to correctly implement EU rules prohibiting discrimination based on religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation in employment and occupation.
http://europa.eu
Latest NHS Research Plus available on our website.
Occupational Health [at Work] subscriber information.
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Conference news
Conferences and courses from The At Work Partnership
Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Skills for OH Professionals
29 and 30 April; 21 May; 11 June; and 2 July 2010
Birmingham
Save £200 for bookings made and paid by 28 February 2010!
Certificate in Managing OH Services
11–13 May 2010
London
Save £100 for bookings made and paid by 20 March 2010!
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FREE Occupational Health
Software
Orchid Software
Free version available
One of the leading OH packages, Orchid, is now completely free. Written especially for industry, the new version of Orchid Live, version 4, is being released at the Health at Work Conference in March at the Birmingham NEC. Why not come along and see the software working for yourself, or download it from www.chi.co.uk
Orchid is available in single user, multi-user or web-based versions, or any combination of these. For more information (including the FREE version) please visit www.chi.co.uk, telephone 0191 295 1483 or email orchid@chi.co.uk
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External courses
Alcohol and Drug use in the Workplace
Postgraduate Certificate:
Starts 5 May 2010
King’s College London The Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, offers this six month programme, attendance one day per week (Wednesday). Designed for occupational health professionals, occupational therapists, HR and management as well as those involved in policy formulation.
For further information and details on how to apply please contact the programme office email pgcert-workplace@kcl.ac.uk or telephone 020 7848 0682.
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