Increasing disabled employment

Our view on the Resolution Foundation report - Retention Deficit: a new approach to boosting employment for people with health problems and disabilities

Resolution Foundation Launch event film - Disability Rights UK Policy and Development Manager Philip Connolly was a guest speaker

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We agree with the Resolution Foundation that addressing the disability employment challenge is central to the Government’s objective of full employment in this country.

It simply isn’t possible to achieve full employment without significantly improving both retention – the chance to keep your employment if you develop a health condition or impairment – and the chance to get back into employment if you lose your job.

The Resolution Foundation makes recommendations that deserve the fullest consideration – for instance, a right to have your job kept open for a year to facilitate a return to work, and an expansion of the effective Access to Work programme – which DR UK has consistently argued for.

We believe this will also need flexible working to go to a new level – by which we mean flexibility for the employee, so we can work when well – with support from government for employee and employer where needed. This will also require replacing the current assessment regime based on fear and sanctions with support that genuinely encourages and enables people to get back into work in line with what people want and feel able to do.

Disability Rights UK has a free guide to keeping or getting back into work if you develop a health condition or impairment – covering coping strategies, sources of support and how to develop new skills where needed. Professor Dame Carol Black states that this guide should find its place on every manager’s desk’.

VERCIDA works with over one hundred clients who are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. If you are an employer and interested in working with VERCIDA to promote your diversity and inclusion initiatives and attract the best candidates, please call 02037405973 or email [email protected] for more information.

We are also officially recommended by Disability Confident as a step on achieving Employer status, please click here for more information.