Proposed by Councillor Wilkinson

 Liberal Democrat member motion

This Council seeks to provide support and guidance to all its employees. In its Fair Employment Statement published in October 2016, the Rights and Responsibilities section makes it clear that:

“Every employee and potential employee has the right to be treated with dignity and respect and not to be discriminated against, victimised, bullied or harassed or to be treated less favourably than any other on any basis of any protected characteristic.”

It is acknowledged that unforeseen events can affect the lives of council workers, and that it is important that the Council does all that it can to maintain the dignity of staff who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness.

Council notes that the TUC’s Dying to Work campaign includes a voluntary charter for employers to sign which sets out an agreed way in which their employees will be supported, protected and guided through their employment, following a terminal diagnosis.

The charter states the following:

·         We recognise that terminal illness requires support and understanding and not additional and avoidable stress and worry.

·         Terminally ill workers will be secure in the knowledge that we will support them following their diagnosis and we recognise that, safe and reasonable work can help maintain dignity, offer a valuable distraction and can be therapeutic in itself.

·         We will provide our employees with the security of work, peace of mind and the right to choose the best course of action for themselves and their families which helps them through this challenging period with dignity and without undue financial loss.

Council notes that a significant number of other city councils have signed up to this charter including Birmingham, Leicester, Liverpool and Sheffield.

This Council supports the TUC’s Dying to Work campaign so that all employees battling terminal illness have adequate employment protection and have their death in service benefits protected for the loved ones they leave behind.

Council therefore asks that Oxford City Council the Interim CEO signs the Dying to Work voluntary charter on behalf of OCC to show the Council’s to show its on-going commitment to supporting rights and responsibilities towards its staff.

It further requests that the Interim CEO of the City Council informs Oxfordshire County Council and the other district councils in Oxfordshire of its actions so that they may consider whether to follow its example.

References:

http://www.dyingtowork.co.uk/voluntary-charter/

http://www.dyingtowork.co.uk/charter-signatories/

This motion was not taken because the time for discussing motions had elapsed.