Treatment
Making antiretroviral treatment (ART) available is an essential part of any
strategy to keep HIV-positive health workers in productive employment. It also
helps to reduce stigma and discrimination by demonstrating the benefits of
appropriate treatment. Employers should, to the extent possible, ensure that
ART is made available at no cost to workers who need it, together with treatment
for opportunistic infections and advice on nutrition and healthy living.
Job security and promotion
Workers who become HIV-positive will remain active for many years. Those
who are medically fit should not suffer discrimination in terms either of job
security or of opportunities for training or promotion. Appropriate manage-
ment of HIV, including the provision of ART, can dramatically improve
general health, life expectancy and the quality of life.
Terms and conditions of work
Employers should, to the extent possible, provide workers with benefit
schemes such as sick pay, health insurance and workers’ compensation. They
should apply these schemes fairly and equally to all employees. Workers living
with HIV/AIDS should not be discriminated against in terms of access to
welfare and other statutory benefits. It may, however, be necessary to make
adjustments in the provision of benefits to respond to the way the disease
develops, for example by extending sick leave and, if necessary,access to other
benefits. Such adjustments to take into account the special requirements of
HIV-related illness should be made through negotiation between management
and the union or the workers’ representatives.
Reasonable accommodation
Employers, in consultation with workers and their representatives, should
reasonably accommodate workers with AIDS-related illnesses; that is, they
should be prepared to make administrative or practical adjustments to help
these workers to manage their working lives. Such adjustments could include:
•
rearrangement of working hours;
•
modifications to tasks and jobs;
•
adapted working equipment and environment;
•
adaptation of rest periods;
•
granting time off for medical appointments;
•
flexible sick leave;
•
part-time work and return-to-work arrangements.
As with other working conditions, it is best if reasonable accommodation
is defined by agreement between employers and workers’ representatives. It is
important that other workers see reasonable accommodation as providing
necessary care, not favourable treatment.
Worker assistance programmes
Worker assistance programmes provide information, advice and support for
employees on a broad range of personal, health and legal issues. They can be
an effective framework for workplace health promotion services. Support may
be extended to the families of workers through such programmes, for example
by including them in education for HIV prevention, or helping them to cope
with a worker’s disease or dependency.In order to provide adequate assistance
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