Workplace wins

A CSP steward recently supported a member who had applied to take Tier 1 ill-health early retirement alongside a request to move to a part-time role.

The request wasn’t approved and instead the member was forced to move to a fixed-term contract while the job-share for their post was employed on a full-time contract.

The member sought the assistance of their steward, who logged a grievance followed by an appeal.

The steward checked the retirement guidance and realised it was not applicable to Tier 1 retirement. They also clarified the difference between guidance and policy and involved a CSP senior negotiating officer.

The CSP member won their appeal, and they are now employed on a permanent contract.

The steward said: ‘They should have been employed on a permanent contract in the first place. This caused over a year of unnecessary stress.

‘Discrimination can happen through a lack of knowledge and understanding. It was clear there was a lack of this in reference to the Equality Act and specifically Tier 1 ill health retirement.’

The example shows how staff should be supported, how to apply retirement guidelines, alongside any guidance to ensure staff with a hidden disability, who need to change their working patterns, are not discriminated against.