How to put in place an effective phased return to work for People with ME/Long Covid

Hello and welcome to Believe in ME with Rhona Barton.

This podcast is about all things Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) related!

I'm Rhona and I lived with ME for almost 10 years during which time, I was bed-bound and wheelchair-bound, welcome to my Podcast.

Ok, let’s jump straight in!

So far, in this mini-series, we have looked at what ME & Long Covid is, how it impacts employees, how to support people with ME & Long Covid who are already in work, how to support people with ME & Long Covid who are off sick, some of the practical requirements for people with ME & Long Covid in work and the financial implications that ME and Long Covid can have on people..

This week we are looking at how to put in place an effective phased return to work for people with ME and Long Covid.

When somebody has been off sick and is ready to consider coming back to work, they will probably have a conversation with you. They will wish to discuss the how and when of their return as well as any concerns they may have about returning to the workplace.

As their employer you will have some aspects that you wish to discuss also such as if they will need a phased return, how the company is keeping the workplace safe and if an occupational health assessment is needed or could help.

Your company may have its own return to work policy and procedure which you will need to review and follow.

If the individual is ready to go back to work after being off sick, your company will also need to decide whether they think it's safe for them to return.

If your company decides it's not safe for someone to return, they will need to decide what type of absence the period of time will count as.

If someone is ready to go back to work, they should also check the Company's sickness and absence policies to see if they provide any extra information about returning to work.

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