Working with IBD A Guide for Employers A Guide for Employees · Working with IBD A Guide for...

Working with IBDA Guide for Employers

Supporting employees living withCrohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis

Working with IBDA Guide for Employees

Managing Crohn’s disease orulcerative colitis in the workplace

3182_CCA_Employer_REV.indd 1 16/11/11 9:57:06 AM

• Working with IBD: A Guide for Employers

Did you know?

• 2.2millionAustraliansofworkingage

haveadisability.

• Adisabilityisanyconditionthatrestricts

aperson’smental,sensoryormobility

functions.Itcouldbecausedbyaccident,

trauma,geneticsordisease.

• Adisabilitymaybetemporaryor

permanent,totalorpartial,lifelongor

acquired,visibleorinvisible.

• 88percentofdisabilitiesareinvisible.

• TheDisability Discrimination Act

1992 requiresemployerstoprovide

adjustmentswheneveritisnecessary,

possibleandreasonabletodoso.These

adjustmentscouldbeanyadministrative,

physical,orproceduralaccommodations

madeinaworkplacetoenableaperson

withadisabilitytoworkeffectively,such

asanenlargedcomputerscreenor

flexiblehours.

• Australianresearchindicatesthat

86percentofallsuchadjustments

costlessthan$500andmostcanbe

implementedquickly.Government

financialassistancemaybeavailable

toemployersinsomecases.

Source:Diversity@work

www.diversityatwork.com.au

The Cost of IBD• InflammatoryBowelDisease(IBD)is

moreprevalentthanepilepsy,multiple

sclerosis,rheumatoidarthritis,eczema

andschizophrenia.

• Theburdenofdisabilityforpeopleliving

withIBDiscomparabletothatforpeople

livingwithrheumatoidarthritis,severe

asthmaoramputationofanarm.

• DisabilityduetoIBDismoreseverethan

livingwithType1diabetesorepilepsy.

• TheeconomiccostofIBDinAustraliais

$2.7billionannually.

• Lossofproductivityaccountsformore

thanhalfthe$500millionfinancialcost

ofIBD.

• Productivitycostsincludeabsenteeism,

workplaceseparation,earlyretirement

andprematuredeath.

Source:AccessEconomicsReport2007

“The Economic Costs of Crohn’s Disease

and Colitis in Australia”

www.crohnsandcolitis.com.au

What you need to knowInadditiontoyourobligationtorecognise

therightsofemployeesundertheDisability

Discrimination Act 1992,understanding

andactinguponissuesaffectingyour

employeeswithIBDcangreatlyimpactyour

bottomline.

Thisbooklethasbeenproducedasaguide

tohelpyouunderstandtheimportantissues

youshouldconsiderifyouemployany

individualslivingwithIBD.


• 2.1 million Australians of working age have a disability.

• A disability is any condition that restricts a person’s mental, sensory or mobility functions. It could be caused by accident, trauma, genetics or disease.

• A disability may be temporary or permanent, total or partial, lifelong or acquired, visible or invisible.

• 90 percent of disabilities are invisible.

• The Disability Discrimination Act

1992 requires employers to provide

adjustments whenever it is necessary,

possible and reasonable to do so. These

adjustments could be any administrative,

physical, or procedural accommodations

made in a workplace to enable a person

with a disability to work effectively, such

as an enlarged computer screen or

flexible hours.

• Australian research indicates that 86 percent of all such adjustments

cost less than $500 and most can be

implemented quickly. Government

financial assistance may be available

to employers in some cases.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009, Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers www.abs.gov.au AND Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission,Forum Minutes, Needs and options for improved access to information and advice on accommodating disability in employment, Appendix B.

www. .au

The Cost of IBD• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is more prevalent than epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema and schizophrenia.

• The burden of disability for people living with IBD is comparable to that for people living with rheumatoid arthritis, severe asthma or amputation of an arm.

• Disability due to IBD is more severe than living with Type 1 diabetes or epilepsy.

• The economic cost of IBD in Australia is $2.7 billion annually.

• Loss of productivity accounts for more than half the $500 million financial cost of IBD.

• Productivity costs include absenteeism, workplace separation, early retirement and premature death.

Source: Access Economics Report 2007 “The Economic Costs of Crohn’s Disease and Colitis in Australia” www.crohnsandcolitis.com.au

What you need to knowIn addition to your obligation to recognise the rights of employees under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, understanding and acting upon issues affecting your employees with IBD can greatly impact your bottom line.

This booklet has been produced as a guide to help you understand the important issues you should consider if you employ any individuals living with IBD.humanrights.g govgggggg

Working with IBD: A Guide for Employers •

Page 4 Introduction

Whatisinflammatoryboweldisease?

Page 6 Employer rights

DowehavearighttoknowifanemployeehasIBD?

Page 7 DoesIBDaffectaperson’sabilitytodotheirjob?

Page 8 Supporting your employee

HowcanwesupportanemployeewithIBDintheworkplace?

Page 12 Workplace discrimination

IsIBDconsideredtobeadisability?

Page 13 HowdoestheDisability Discrimination Act 1992(DDA)applyinthe workplace?

Page 14 Workplace adjustments

WhatadjustmentsmayneedtobemadeforemployeeswithIBD?

Page 15 WhatistheWorkplaceModificationsScheme?

Whatcanwedoifanemployeefeelsdiscriminatedagainst?

Page 16 Personal LL ave

Howdowemanagesickleave?

Page 17 Howbestcanwesupportapersonreturningtoworkaftersickleave?

Ongoingsupportandregularreviews

Whathappensifit’snotworkingout?

Page 18 General information

What’sinitformeasanemployer?

Page 19 Information sources

Contents


Le


Introduction

Introduction InAustralia,thereareapproximately

peoplewithinflammatoryboweldisease

(IBD). Although IBD can occur at anyage,

it is most commonly diagnosed for

the

first

time in people between 15 and 35years

of age. This coincides with a time when

people are likely to be concerned about

theirjobandemploymentprospects.

Thisemployerguidehasbeendeveloped

tohelpemployersandmanagersbetter

understandwhatitmeanstohaveIBD,and

howitispossible,oftenwithonlyminimal

adjustmentstotheworkenvironment,to

supportemployeeswithIBDandenable

themtofulfiltheirpotential.Italsoconsiders

thelegislationrelevanttomanagingpeople

withchronicconditionssuchasIBD.

Thecontentinthisguideappliestomany

chronicmedicalconditionsbutisintended

primarilytoassistemployerssupporttheir

employeeswithIBD.

What is inflammatory bowel disease?Inflammatoryboweldisease(IBD)isa

medicaltermthatdescribesagroupof

conditionsinwhichtheintestinesbecome

inflamed(redandswollen)andulcerated

(opensoresthatmaybleed).Twomajor

typesofIBDareCrohn’sdiseaseand

ulcerativecolitis.Theseconditionsare

similarbutdifferent.Forexample,ulcerative

colitisaffectsonlythelargeintestine(colon

and/orrectum)whereasCrohn’sdisease

canoccurinanypartofthegastrointestinal

tract,fromthemouthtotheanus.

TheexactcauseofIBDisnotyet

known,butitisconsideredtobean

auto-immunedisorder.Inpeoplewitha

geneticsusceptibilitytoIBD,theimmune

systemmountsasuperactiveresponse

toenvironmental“triggers”(possibly

proteins,bacteriaand/orviruses).This

causesinflammationintheintestines

(gastrointestinaltract)andleadstothe

symptomsofIBD.

The most common symptoms of IBD are:

• abdominalcrampsandpain

• frequentdiarrhoea(maybebloody)

orsometimesconstipation

• severeurgencytohaveabowel

movement

In Australia, there are approximately 70,000 people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).


70,000


• feverduringactivestagesofdisease

• lossofappetiteandsevereweightloss

• tirednessandfatigue.

ApercentageofpeoplewithIBDmay

alsoexperienceproblemsoutsidethe

gastrointestinaltractsuchas:

• jointpain

• skinconditions

• eyeinflammation

• liverdisorders(rare)

• thinningofthebones(osteoporosis).

IBDisachronicorlife-longillness,but

thewaysinwhichitaffectseachperson

withtheconditionishighlyindividual.

Itdependson:

• wherethediseaseislocatedwithinthe

gastrointestinaltract

• whetherornotinflammationispresentat

agiventime

• howseveretheinflammationiswithinthe

affectedarea.

Wheninflammationispresent,symptoms

appearandthediseaseisconsideredtobe

inanactivestage.Wheninflammationis

lessorabsent,symptomsmaydisappear

altogetherandthediseaseisconsideredto

beinremission.FormostpeoplewithIBD,

theusualcourseofdiseaseinvolvesperiods

ofremissioninterspersedwithoccasional

flare-upofsymptoms.

IBDcannotbecuredasyetbutitcanbe

managedeffectively,especiallywiththeuse

ofmedicationstocontroltheinflammation.

MostpeoplewithIBDmayalsorequire

surgeryatsomepointduringthecourseof

theirdisease.

IBDisnotthesameasIrritableBowel

Syndrome(IBS)anditisnotcontagious.



Employer rights

Do we have a right to know if an employee has IBD?Asanemployeryoumayencounterthree

possiblescenarios:

• apersonwithIBDhasappliedfora

positionwithinyourorganisation

• anexistingemployeeisnewlydiagnosed

withIBD

• anexistingemployeehasaflare-upof

diseaseafteraperiodofremission.

Thereisnoobligationforpeoplewith

chronicillnessessuchasIBDtodisclose

theirconditionduringtherecruitmentor

selectionprocessunlesstheyareasked

directlyaboutanyknownhealthcondition

thatmightimpactontheirjobperformance.

Eventhen,they’reundernolegal

requirementtodisclosetheircondition,

butsomemaychoosetodosoinorder

topreventtheriskofrepercussions(e.g.

dismissal)ifknowledgeoftheircondition

eventuallycomestolightortosuggest

workplaceadjustmentsthatmightenable

themtoperformtheirworkeffectively.

Likewise,thereisnolegalrequirement

foracurrentemployeetodiscloseanew

orexistingmedicalconditionunlessitis

stipulatedintheircontractofemployment.

Animportantfirststeptowardsencouraging

someonewithIBDtodiscusstheircondition

istoimplementafairemploymentpolicy

thatcoversallillnesses,includingchronic

conditions.

ThereasonswhysomeonewithIBDmay

bereluctanttodisclosetheircondition

willvarywitheachindividual.Theymay

includefearofdiscrimination,possiblejob

loss,desireforpersonalprivacy,oreven

embarrassment.Thisisunderstandableas

peopleingeneraldon’ttendtodiscusstheir

bowelhabitswithothers.Butthesymptoms

ofIBDduringdiseaseflare-ups,inparticular

thefrequentandoftenurgentneedtogo

tothetoilet,meanthattheissuewillmost

likelyneedtobeaddressedatsomepoint.

Ifyoususpectthatanemployeehasa

medicalconditionanditisimpactingon

jobperformanceandworkplacerelations,

itmaybeappropriatetodrawtheperson

asideandenquireinthestrictestconfidence

andinanon-threateningmannerifthereis

anythingthey’dliketodiscussorifthere’s

anywayinwhichyoucanoffersupport.

Yourunderstandingmaygivethemthe

opportunitytoopenupanddisclosetheir

condition.Thedecisionaboutwhetheror

nottotellothersintheworkplaceabout

theirconditionmustbelefttotheemployee.

Your understanding may give them the opportunity to open up...



Likewise,ifyouknowaboutanemployee’s

IBDatthetimeofhiring,youmustadhere

strictlytotheirwishesregardingletting

othersintheworkplaceknowabouttheir

condition.Oftenonlyafewkeypeopleneed

toknow.

Formoreinformationregardingdisclosure

ofdisability,contacttheJobAccess

Adviserson1800 464 800orvisitwww.jobaccess.gov.au.

Does IBD affect a person’s ability to do their job?PeoplewithIBDcananddoleadfulland

satisfyinglives,completewithfamily,

careerandleisure-timeactivities.It’snot

uncommonforpeoplewithIBDtoplacea

highpriorityonworkperformanceasthey

aremotivatedtonotlettheircondition

impacttoogreatlyontheireverydaylives.

Moreover,manypeoplewithIBDhavelong

periodsofremissionwhentheirsymptoms

areabsentformonthsorevenyearsata

time.IfapersonwithIBDhasthenecessary

skillsandqualificationstodoaparticular

job,theyshouldbeconsideredinthesame

lightasothercandidatesforaposition,or

forapromotion.

Attimesofdiseaseflare-up,peoplewith

IBDmayhavecertainrequirementssuchas:

• easyaccesstoadequatetoiletfacilities

• greaterflexibilityinworkingarrangements

• aknowledgeableandsupportivework

environment.



Supporting your employee

Itshouldbenotedthattheserequirements

arenotspecifictopeoplewithIBD,butare

goodmanagementpracticesthatcanand

shouldbeappliedtoallemployees.The

applicationoftheserequirementsinpeople

withIBDisdiscussedinmoredetailinthe

section,“Howcanwesupportanemployee

withIBDintheworkplace?”

Perhapsthemostnoticeableimpactof

IBDintheworkplaceistheamountofsick

leaveanemployeemayneedatcertain

timesthroughouttheircondition.Again,this

isdiscussedinmoredetailinthesection,

“Howdowemanagesickleave?”

Generallyspeaking,withgood

understandingofthenatureofIBDand

someminimalworkplaceadjustments,you

cansupportandenableanemployeewith

IBDtoworkproductivelyandaddvalueto

yourorganisation.

How can we support an employee with IBD in the workplace?EachindividualwithIBDisuniqueand

theirneedsmaydifferfromotherswiththe

conditionoratvarioustimesduringthe

courseoftheirillness.Asageneralguide,

theparticularneedsofapersonwithIBD

arelikelytoincludethefollowing:

Easy access to adequate toilet facilities

PeoplewithIBDoftenhaveafrequent

andurgentneedtogettoatoilettoavoid

havinganaccident.Inaddition,thesmells

andsoundsofdiarrhoeacancausethem

considerabledistress.Notonlyarethey

embarrassing,theymayunwittinglydisclose

theirconditiontoothers.

Providingimmediateaccesstoprivate

andadequately-ventilatedtoiletfacilitiesin

theworkplaceisessentialforemployees

withIBD.Offeringuseofadisabledtoilet

whereavailableor,ifpossible,providing

acustomisedcubiclewithfloortoceiling

wallsandextractorfaninsharedtoilet

facilitiesaresomesolutionstoconsider.

Wherepossible,locatetheemployee’s

workstationclosesttothetoiletfacilities.

Thiscanhelpminimiseworkplace

disruptionandallowforgreaterprivacyand

discretion.

Greater flexibility in working arrangements can help accommodate these needs...



Cover for urgent toilet breaks

PeoplewithIBDwhoworkinpositionswith

fixedbreaks(e.g.schools,shops,factories)

mayneedsupportfromtheirmanagersor

co-workerstocoverthemforshortperiods

intheeventofanurgentneedtogotothe

toilet.Thesameneedmayapplyinoffice

situations(e.g.duringmeetings)oroutin

thefield(e.g.tradespeople).

Flexible working arrangements

PeoplewithIBDgenerallyneedto

attendregularmedicalappointments

andmayrequireregulartestsorongoing

hospitaltreatment.Theseoftenneedto

bescheduledwithinstandardweekday

workinghoursof9amto5pm.During

diseaseflare-ups,peoplewithIBDoften

experienceextremetirednessandfatigue,

whichtendstobeworseinthemorningand

mayimpactontheirabilitytoarriveatwork

ontimeortoconcentrateearlyintheday.

Greaterflexibilityinworkingarrangements

canhelpaccommodatetheseneeds.

Inparticular,timeoffformedical

appointments,laterstartsandshorteror

moreflexibleworkinghoursduringtimes

ofactivedisease,andworkingfromhome

whereverpossible,areallusefulmeans

ofhelpinganemployeewithIBDthrough

difficulttimesstillremainproductive.

Othermethodsmayincludejobsharing

andteamworkingasappropriate.

Flexi-timecanalsoallowtheemployeeto

makeupforanysignificanttimelapsesat

workandmaintainafairworkplace.

Understanding of specific treatment requirements

PeoplewithIBDgenerallyrequire

medicationstomanagetheirconditionand

mayneedtotaketheseatspecifictimes

throughouttheday(e.g.1hourbeforefood

or2-3hoursafterfood).Certaintypesof

medications(e.g.corticosteroids)cancause

unpleasantsideeffects,especiallywhen

highdosagesarerequiredoverlongperiods

oftime.SomepeoplewithIBDmayhave

particularfoodrequirements,suchasliquid

nutritiononly,ormayneedtoeatseveral

smallmealsregularlythroughoutthedayin

ordertolessenthesymptomsofabdominal

painanddiarrhoea.



Supporting your employee

Understandingyouremployee’sspecific

treatmentrequirementsandthepossible

implicationsintheworkplacecanhelpyou

workinwiththemwithminimaleffortand

fuss.Goodcommunicationandforward

thinkingarekeystrategiestomakingthis

happen.Afewexamplesareprovided

belowbutthepossibilitiesareendless.

• Ifameetingisplanned,besurethat

youremployeeisawareinadvanceof

thedate,timeandexpectedduration.

Understandifhe/sheneedstoslipaway

forafewminutestotakemedication,

haveasmallmealorvisitthebathroom.

Ensurethatthelocationandlayoutof

themeetingroomallowsforeasyand

discreteaccesstotoiletfacilities.

• Ifyou’rehavinglunchduringanin-house

meetingorwithaclientatarestaurant

orcafé,considerinadvancewhetherthe

menuhassuitablechoicesforaperson

withIBD.Manyeatingestablishments

providetheirmenuontheinternet.

• Ifpossible,installarefrigeratorand

microwaveonpremisestoaccommodate

youremployee’sfoodrequirements

Allowances for travel

Travelisoftenakeyissueforpeoplewith

IBD.Becauseofafrequentandurgent

needtoaccessatoilet,manyfinditdifficult

tousepublictransportandwouldprefer

todrivetoworkoroutsidemeetings.

Allowanceforcartraveland/orprovision

ofaparkingspaceclosetotheworkplace

wouldbehelpfulinthesecases.Although

manyworkplacesprovidedisabledparking

spaces,mostpeoplewithIBDdonotmeet

currentcriteriaforaDisabledPerson’s

ParkingPermitandarenotentitledtouse

thesespaces.Alternativesolutionsshould

beprovidedasappropriate.

Social support

ManypeoplewithIBDexperiencefeelings

ofisolationwhichstemfromaperception

thatotherswon’tunderstandtheirdisease.

Manyarereluctanttotellothersabouttheir

conditionbecausethey’reembarrassed

bythenatureofthesymptomsorforfear

ofbeingtreatedas“special”or“different”.

Attemptstohideordenytheircondition

oftenaddtotheiroverallstressandcan

contributetodepression.

Socialsupportfromfriends,familyand

co-workershelpspeoplewithIBDcope

betterwiththeirconditionandinteract

successfullyatalllevelsincludingwork.

Itmightbehelpfultodiscusswithyour

employeeaboutwhetherandhowbestto

tellcolleaguesabouttheircondition.This

employerguidemaybeausefulfirststepin

thatregard.Othersmaywishforsomeone

elsetospeakontheirbehalf;forexample,

afriend,colleague,occupationalhealth

worker,tradeunionrepresentative



ordisabilityemploymentadvisor.Once

co-workersaremadeawareofthecondition

anditsimplications,they’remuchmore

likelytoengageandprovidethenecessary

supportandsocialinteraction.

Empathy, not sympathy!

PeoplewithIBDhaveonlyonepointof

differencefromthosewithoutthecondition

–theirgastrointestinaltractdoesn’twork

quiteaswell.Inallotherrespectsthey’re

thesameasanyoneelseanddeserveto

betreatedinthesamemannerasothers

intheworkplace.Thiscanbeasformal

orinformalasisappropriateforthework

situation.

AlwaysassumethatapersonwithIBDisof

normalintelligence.Lessthanone-thirdof

peoplewithdisabilityhaveanintellectual

disabilityandIBDinnowayaffectsa

person’sintellectualcapacity.

Intheworkplace(orduringtheinterview

process),somepeoplewithIBDmaybe

offendedorfeeluncomfortablewhen:

• aninterviewerormanagerassumes

unusualsensitivityandavoidsasking

essentialquestions

• they’reopenlyandconstantlyadmiredfor

theircourage

• sympathyisconstantlyoffered(thisisa

fineline)

• they’restaredatorpeopleavoideye

contactwiththem

• they’reassumedtoneedhelp

• they’reconstantlyremindedoftheir

disabilityratherthantheirabilities.

Supportiveandflexiblemanagement

approacheswillenablemostpeople

withIBDtoworkproductively.Andmost

arehighlymotivatedtodoso.However,

itisalsoimportanttobeawareofthelegal

considerationsthatmayapplytopeople

livingwithIBDorotherlong-termhealth

conditions.

Social support from friends, family and co-workers helps people with IBD...



Workplace discrimination

Is IBD considered to be a disability?AlthoughmanypeoplewithIBDdon’t

considertheirconditiontobeadisabilityas

such,theywillusuallyqualifyforprotection

againstdiscrimination.

ThefederalDisability Discrimination Act

1992(DDA)providesseveraldefinitions

ofdisability.ThosethatapplymosttoIBD

include:

• totalorpartiallossofapartofthebody

• malfunction,malformationor

disfigurementofapartofthe

person’sbody.

Somestatesuseslightlydifferentdefinitions

ofdisabilityaccordingtotheirown

disabilitydiscriminationlawsbuttheyare

substantiallythesame.

ThefactthatIBDmaygointoremission

orthatsymptomscanbecontrolledby

medicationdoesnotpreventitfrombeing

coveredbytheDDA.

Thedefinitionofdisabilityincludesfuture

disabilityand“imputed”disability,whichis

somethingthatsomeonebelievesanother

personhas,eveniftheydonot.

TheDDArecognisestwotypesofunlawful

discrimination:

• directdiscrimination

• indirectdiscrimination

Direct discriminationoccurswhensomeoneistreatedlessfavourably,oris

proposedtobetreatedlessfavourably,than

someoneelseinsimilarcircumstanceswho

doesnothaveadisability.Lessfavourable

treatmentmayincludebeingridiculedor

deniedsomethingtowhichtheperson

wasentitled.

Indirect discriminationoccurswhensomeoneisexpectedtomeetsomesort

ofcriteriathattheyareunabletomeet

becauseoftheirdisability,andthesecriteria

areprobablyabletobemetbysomeone

elsewithoutasimilardisability.For

indirectdiscriminationtobeunlawful,the

expectationorcriteriaplacedontheperson

withadisabilitymustbesomethingthatis

“unreasonableinthecircumstances”.

People with IBD have only one point of difference from those without the condition...



How does the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) apply in the workplace?Disabilitydiscriminationisunlawfulonly

incertainareas.Intheemployment

environment,itmeansthatanemployer

cannotdiscriminateintheirtermsand

conditionsofemploymentinhiringor

promotiondecisions,orindismissal.

AccordingtotheDDA,itisunlawfulto:

• directlydiscriminateagainstanemployee

becauseoftheirdisability

• indirectlydiscriminateagainstan

employeebecauseoftheirdisability

• failtomakereasonableadjustmentsto

accommodateanemployee’sdisability

• harassanemployeebecauseof

theirdisability

• requireanemployeewithadisabilityto

provideinformationthatmightbeused

todiscriminateagainstthem

• victimiseanemployeebecausethey

havemadeadisabilitydiscrimination

complaint.

Employeeswhomakeacomplaintabout

disabilitydiscriminationinrelationto

employmentmustbeabletoshowthat

theirdisabilitydoesnotstopthemfrom

doingwhatthejobisessentiallyabout.

Thisdoesnotmeanhavingtomeetallthe

requirementsofthejob,onlytheessential

ones.InthefederalAct,thisiscalled

meetingthe“inherentrequirementsof

thejob”.Duringtherecruitmentprocess,

employershavearesponsibilitytoinform

prospectiveemployeesabouttheessential

requirementsofthejob.

Inorderforanemployeetomeettheirjob

requirements,employersmayneedtomake

someadjustmentstotheworkplace.Some

examplesofadjustmentsareprovided

onthefollowingpage.Employersarenot

allowedtodiscriminateagainstemployees

becauseoftheirneedforadjustments.



Workplace adjustments

What adjustments may need to be made for employees with IBD?Manyadjustmentsrequiredbyemployees

withIBDareinexpensiveormaynotcost

anythingatall,and/orcauselittledisruption

totheworkplace.Someexamplesinclude:

• allowingtimeoffformedical

appointmentsortreatment

• offeringshorter,differentorflexible

workinghours

• providingunlimitedtoiletbreaks

• locatingtheworkstationclosetoatoilet

• providingacar-parkingspacecloseto

theworkplaceentrance

• re-allocatingcertaindutiesamongother

staffmembers

• consideringjob-shareopportunities

• offeringanotherplaceofworkorthe

optionofworkingfromhome

• adjustingperformancetargetstoaccount

fortheeffectofsickleaveorfatigue.

UnderthefederalAct,employersdonot

havetomakeadjustmentsifitwouldbean

“unjustifiablehardship”forthemtodoso.

Factorsthatneedtobetakenintoaccount

inthisregardare:

• thebenefitstheadjustmentwillhavefor

otheremployeeswhomaybeaffectedby

theadjustment

• thedisadvantagestheadjustmentwill

haveonotheremployeeswhomaybe

affectedbytheadjustment

• theeffectofthedisabilityonthe

employee,andwhatthismeansinterms

oftheadjustmentstheyrequire

• thecostsofmakingtheadjustment.

Whereadjustmentsaremoreexpensive,

suchasinstallingseparatetoiletfacilities,

itmaybepossibletoapplyforfinancial

assistancethroughtheWorkplace

ModificationsScheme.



What is the Workplace Modifications Scheme?TheWorkplaceModificationsSchemepays

forthecostsinvolvedinmodifyingthe

workplaceorpurchasingspecialoradaptive

equipmentforeligibleemployeeswitha

disability.Thereisnorestrictiontothetypes

ofmodificationsthatcanbeapproved

undertheSchemeprovidedthateach

applicationmeetstheeligibilitycriteria.

Inordertoqualifyforassistanceemployers

mustemployapersonwithdisabilityfor

atleasteighthoursaweekinajobthatis

expectedtolastforatleastthreemonths.In

addition,theemployeewill:

• haveanongoingdisabilitythathaslasted,

orislikelytolast,fortwoyearsormore

• haveadisabilitythatresultsina

limitation,restrictionorimpairment

affectingtheireverydayactivitiesthat

requires

awork-relatedadjustment

• beanAustraliancitizenorpermanent

resident

• beemployedunderalegalindustrial

arrangementthatcomplieswiththe

minimumstandardsestablishedby

federal,stateorterritorylaw.

Formoreinformation,contactthe

JobAccessAdviserson1800 464 800orvisit www.jobaccess.gov.au.

What can we do if an employee feels discriminated against?Anemployeemightfeeldiscriminated

againstiftheyhavereceivedan

unfavourableperformancerevieworhave

beenoverlookedforpromotionbecause,

forexample,they’vebeenunabletomeet

theirtargetsbecauseofsickleaveor

tirednesscausedbytheirIBD.Theremay

alsobedisagreementabout“reasonable”

adjustmentstotheworkplaceto

accommodatetheirneedsortheymay

feelvictimisedbyharassmentorbullying

fromco-workers.

Mostemployeeswouldprefernottotake

formalaction.Makingaformalcomplaint

throughtheinternalgrievanceprocedures

ofanorganisationorthroughtheHuman

RightsandEqualOpportunityCommission

(orequivalentstatebody)canbealengthy

andstressfulexperience.



Personal leave

Oftentheopportunitytotalkthings

throughresolvesanyissues.Atminimum,

allemployeesshouldbemadeawareof

yourorganisation’sinternalgrievance

procedures.Ideally,theyshouldfeel

comfortableaboutdiscussinganyproblems

withalinemanager,HR/personnel

departmentorunionrepresentativeas

applicable.Alternatively,theymaywishto

appointafriendorrelativetoliaiseinthe

eventofdisagreements.Inallsuchcases,

itisgoodpracticetokeepdetailedrecords

ofmeetings.

How do we manage sick leave?Allemployees(exceptcasualemployees)

areeligibleforsickleaveintheeventthat

theysufferapersonalillnessorinjury.

However,theremaybetimeswhenpeople

withIBDneedtobeawayfromworkfor

longerperiodsoftime,possiblyduetoa

severeflare-upofsymptomsortheyrequire

surgeryfortheirIBD.TakingoutSalary

ContinuanceInsurance(alsocalledincome

protectioninsurance)isanoptionyoumay

wishtodiscusswithyouremployee.Some

organisationsprovidethistypeofinsurance

asabenefitforalltheiremployees.

Itisrecommendedthatanyabsencesfrom

workbecauseofyouremployee’sIBDare

recordedseparatelyfromothersickness

absences,suchashavingacoldorflu.

Thisistopreventthepossibilityof

discriminationifdecisionsaboutpromotion

orbonuses,forexample,takeintoaccount

illness-relatedabsences.

Itiscommonforpeopletoloseconfidence

aboutbeingabletoreturntowork,even

afterarelativelyshorttimeawayonsick

leave.Keepingintouchwithyouremployee

canhelpeasethisprocess.Itmaybe

helpfultosetupastandardprocedure

outlininghowyouremployeecanmaintain

contactwithworkwhenabsentforlonger

periods.Attimesitmaybeappropriate

thatafamilymemberisthefirstpointof

contact.Theemployeemayprefercontact

withaco-worker,closecolleague,union

representativeoroccupationalhealth

workerratherthantheirlinemanager.This

mayhelpthemfeelsupportedasopposed

tobeing“checkedupon”.It’salsoagood

ideatoestablishwhattypeofcontact

they’dprefer,eitherbytelephone,email,

letterorinperson.Andit’simportanttonot

pressureanemployeeintoreturningtowork

toosoonbeforethey’reready.

Formoreinformationaboutsickleave

entitlements,contacttheFairWork

Ombudsmanon13 13 94orvisitwww.fairwork.gov.au.



How best can we support a person returning to work after sick leave?Employeesshouldbeinvolvedinplanning

theirreturntoworkasthisgivesthemthe

opportunitytovoiceanyconcernstheymay

haveortorequestworkplaceadjustments.

Ifthey’vebeenawayfromworkforsome

time,aphasedreturnmightbeappropriate.

Thiscouldinvolveworkingonlyafewhours

adayatfirstandgraduallyincreasingthe

numberofhoursastheirhealthimproves.

Otherusefulstrategiestoconsiderin

theearlystagesofareturntoworkare

reducingworkload,re-allocatingcertain

dutiesamongco-workers,orallowingthe

employeetoworkfromhomeifpossible.

Intheeventthattheemployeehasto

remainawayfromworkuntilreasonable

adjustmentsareputinplacetoenabletheir

return(e.g.relocatingtheirworkstation

closetoatoilet),thisshouldnotbe

recordedassickleave.

Ongoing support and regular reviewsIBDisanunpredictablediseaseandyour

employee’sconditionandspecificneeds

maychangeovertime,forbetterorworse.

Theemployeemaywishtovaryworkplace

adjustmentstomakeiteasierforthemto

continueworking,orbecausetheyhave

fewerspecialrequirementsduringremission

oraftersurgeryfortheirIBD.Itishelpfulto

haveperiodicreviewswithyouremployee

toascertaintheirspecificneeds.

What happens if it’s not working out?Intheworkenvironmentitgoeswithout

sayingthatthejobmustgetdoneandthat

everyoneneedstocontributetheirfair

share.Mostpeoplewithchronicconditions

willhaveagoodunderstandingofthe

impactoftheirillnessonworkperformance

andcansuggestadjustmentsthatwill

enablethemtoworkeffectively.

Theremayberareoccasionswhen,despite

reasonableworkplaceadjustmentsand

afterallleaveisexhausted,youremployee’s

conditionmakesitdifficultforthemto

continueintheircurrentjobortoacceptan

alternativejob.Inthesecircumstancesyou

mayhavenootheroptionthantoconsider

termination.However,beforetakingthis

step,it’sadvisedthatyouconsultwiththe

employee,obtainmedicalevidenceas

required(inconsultationwiththeemployee),

considerwhetheralternativeemployment

canbeofferedandinformtheemployee

thatyouareconsideringterminating

theiremployment.



General information

What’s in it for me as an employer?Asanemployeryou’reentitledtowonder

ifit’sworthwhileemployingsomeonewith

achronicmedicalconditionsuchasIBD.

Giventhatsomeofthemostexpensive

aspectsofemploymentarerecruitment

andemployeeretention,thesimpleanswer

is“yes”,ifthatpersonisrightforthejob.

RememberalsothatpeoplewithIBDoften

experiencelongperiodsofremissionwhere

symptomsmaybeabsentformonthsor

evenyearsatatime.

ResearchundertakenbytheAustralian

SafetyandCompensationCouncilhas

highlightedsomeimportantfactsabout

employingpeoplewithdisability.Some

keypointsfromtheirreportinclude:

• There is no conclusive evidence to

support the suggestion that workers

with a disability are more likely to be

injured at work than other employees

• Many people with a disability have the

qualifications and skills to match the

demands of the workforce

• Minimal cost – maximum benefit

•Thecostsinvolvedinmakingworkplace

adjustmentstendtobeminimal,with

employersreportingthatthebenefits

ofemployingworkerswithadisability

outweighanycosts

• Theproductivityofpeoplewitha

disabilityissimilartothatofemployees

withoutdisability

• Workerswithadisabilityhavelower

absenteeismandhigherretentionrates

thanemployeeswithoutadisability,

whichreducesthecostsassociatedwith

recruitmentandtrainingofnewstaff

• Inclusionofpeoplewithadisabilityin

thelabourforceleadstoeconomicand

socialbenefitsforpeoplewithadisability,

employersandthecommunityasa

whole.

• Employerscanaddressaskillsshortage

byemployingcapable,enthusiastic

workerswithrelevantskillsand

qualifications

• Byprovidingasafeworkingenvironment

forallemployees,employerscanimprove

productivity,moralsandsavemoney.

AfullcopyoftheAustralianSafetyand

CompensationCouncilresearchreport,

Are People with Disability at Risk at Work?

canbefoundatwww.ascc.gov.au.

Formoreinformation,contactthe

JobAccessAdviserson1800 464 800orvisit www.jobaccess.gov.au.



Information SourcesAre people with disability at risk at work?

AustralianSafetyandCompensation

Council.

www.ascc.gov.au

Employment and IBD:a guide for

employees.

NationalAssociationforColitisand

Crohn’sDisease(NACC).

www.nacc.org.uk

The Economic Costs of Crohn’s Disease

and Colitis in Australia.

AccessEconomicsReport2007

www.crohnsandcolitis.com.au

The Inside Story: A Toolkit for Living Well

with IBD.

Crohn’s&ColitisAustralia.©2009

Using Disability Discrimination Law.

VictoriaLegalAid.August2008

Work, Superannuation and Disabilities.

MauriceBlackburnLawyers.

JohnBerrill,Lawyer

AndrewWeinmann,Solicitor

DisabilityDiscriminationLegalService

www.communitylaw.org.au

JobAccess

www.jobaccess.gov.au

WorkplaceAuthority

www.workplaceauthority.gov.au


www.abs.gov.auAustralian Bureau of Statistics

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity

Commission

www.humanrights.gov.au

Crohn’s & Colitis Australia™

Level1,462BurwoodRoadHawthornVIC3122POBox2160

Tel:61398151266Fax:61398151299

Email:[email protected]:1800138029

Revised Edition 2011

Thisemployerguidewas

madepossiblebyan

unrestrictededucational

grantfrom


2013

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