Employers that are unaware of their legal responsibilities towards people diagnosed with cancer are failing to make simple changes in the workplace that could enable them to stay in work or return to work after treatment, a charity has said.
Research by Macmillan Cancer Support has argued that more than half of UK line managers are unaware that cancer is covered by the Disability Discrimination Act (now part of the Equality Act 2010).
This means many people are unnecessarily losing out on the information and support needed to help them stay in work, it added.
Just under half of people with cancer who were working when they were diagnosed said their employer did not discuss sick pay entitlement, flexible working conditions, or workplace adjustments with them when they were informed about their illness.
Employees with cancer also often did not know what their rights were and so were less likely to request help to which they were entitled, with fewer than 40% of people with cancer knowing it was covered by the Equality Act.
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