GPS Awards for Members Undergoing Cancer Treatment
Accord is calling on LBG to make full GPS awards to members undergoing lifesaving treatment.
Alison McMillan had worked for LBG for 34 years when, last July, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She began treatment and, for many months, worked while she was undergoing chemotherapy. But ultimately it was too much, and Alison had to take some time off.
Like many colleagues in similar situations, Alison was distressed to realise that her GPS award would be reduced due to her period of absence. Under current LBG policy, any period of sick leave longer than 28 days triggers a reduction in GPS. The only exemptions are for pregnancy-related illness, disability change management leave, and workplace adjustment leave.
“Having turned up and worked well in difficult circumstances, I felt let down by the group,” Alison told Accord in an email.
This is an issue that members have raised with Accord on multiple occasions, and Accord has in turn raised it with the business. For many people, whether living with serious health conditions or not, it seems unreasonable to reduce payments to colleagues who have had no choice but to take time off to seek essential treatment. We also know that many members feel it's unfair to treat pregnancy-related illness in one way and life-threatening health conditions and disabilities in another.
Alison has raised the question internally, including in a People and Places cancer support call. She says: “I got a hugely positive response from dozens of colleagues who agreed GPS should be paid for lifesaving treatment, or at least managers could have discretion where the colleague clearly worked as best they could during that difficult time.”
While Accord appreciates the challenges of developing a blanket policy when serious illness affects people in so many different ways, we believe the Group could do more to recognise colleagues’ hard work in the most challenging circumstances.
That's why we’re calling on LBG to revisit the policy and find a way to support colleagues more.
In sharing this article with LBG, they pointed out the support they currently provide, including up to full sick pay for six months, followed by half pay for an additional six months, access to private medical care for primary cancers, options for critical illness benefits, and enhanced cancer cover. While we recognise these provisions, we will continue to campaign for further improvements.
If you have a story about your GPS award being reduced while you were going through cancer treatment, get in touch with us: [email protected]
