Employers will be helped to tackle long-term sickness absence in the workplace, after an independent assessment and advisory service aimed at getting people back to work and away from long-term sickness benefits was announced yesterday.

Minister for welfare reform, Lord Freud, unveiled the scheme, and said it will save employers up to £160 million a year in statutory sick pay and increase economic output by up to £900 million a year.

The new service is part of a series of measures announced yesterday by the Government to help employers support their staff and prevent employees needlessly going onto sickness benefits.

It is part of the Government’s response to the report The health at work – Independent review of sickness absence, carried out by national director for health and work, Dame Carol Black and former director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, David Frost.

Read the full article published in HR Magazine by Tom Newcombe , 18 Jan 2013