The trend is strong. According to a barometer published Thursdayi, one in six people with a chronic illness have faced discrimination or discriminatory harassment in the workplace due to their state of health or disability. “Having a long-term chronic illness aggravates the risk of being exposed to discrimination in employment,” states in a press release from the Defender of Rights, Claire Hédon.
Chronic illnesses at work remain “an issue still largely unexplored”, according to the barometer established by the Defender of Rights in partnership with the International Labor Organization (ILO). After those linked to nationality, origin or skin color, discrimination linked to health and disability are the most frequently cited among the 3,000 people, including 1,000 suffering from chronic illness, interviewed. by Ipsos for this survey.
A majority of people are morally harassed
Thus a majority (55%) of sick people report having experienced a situation of moral harassment, compared to 35% of the rest of the active population. On the other hand, workstations are often not arranged as they should: thus “19% of employees with a chronic illness benefit from an adjustment to their workstation” while 29% do not benefit from it, but would need it.
Finally, 40% of sick people whose health problems are known to their employer and their superior “do not benefit from the support and understanding of either,” according to this study. The share of the working population affected by a chronic illness was 15% in 2019 but is expected to reach 25% by 2025, according to the National Agency for the Improvement of Working Conditions (Anact).