Unite general secretary signs Dying to Work charter

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham and other Civil Service trade union leaders have signed the TUC Dying to Work Charter for the Civil Service along with the deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, minister for Employment Rights Justin Madders and Cabinet Office minister Georgia Gould.

The UK Civil Service employs 547,000 workers across multiple departments including the Ministry of Defence, His Majesties Prison Service, Ministry of Justice and UK Health Security Agency.

The TUC Dying to Work charter

Many workers get seriously ill at some time in their lives. They may need time off, sometimes for months, to get treatment or to get well. There are times however when there is no effective treatment. In those cases, the worker and their families face huge emotional stress, fear, and possible financial concerns. The Dying To Work charter can help alleviate some of that stress and sets out an agreed way in which an employee should be treated and supported in the event of a terminal diagnosis.

The charter is about choice. It's about giving an individual options around how they want to proceed at work. In some cases, an individual will want to continue to work for as long as they can, for financial security or because work can be a helpful distraction from their illness. In other cases a person may decide that they do not want to work anymore and would rather spend their remaining time with family and friends, getting their affairs in order, or simply doing what they want. Whatever choice a person makes they should expect help and support from their employer.

More details on the TUC Dying to Work charter.