People living with HIV can face many barriers in employment and the consequences of HIV related discrimination in employment can be far-reaching. Discrimination at work can have a negative impact on a person's health and well-being and loss of employment may lead to loss of accommodation, financial difficulties and poverty.
We want to see a higher proportion of people with HIV in employment, and with an adequate income to meet, at the very least, their basic and health-related needs.
Asylum applicants are not allowed to work to support themselves or their families, but insted have to rely on benefits which are significantly lower than basic income support. NAT is calling for an urgent review of current guidelines on the employment rights of asylum applicants.
HIV and employment research
NAT were concerned that there were information gaps about the employment experiences of people living with HIV in the UK, so we commissioned some independent research to examine this area. This research involved over 1,800 gay men living with HIV who took part in an online survey, as well as a series of focus groups with gay men and black Africans living with HIV.
The research found people with HIV are working in a diverse range of jobs at all levels. Over half (58 per cent) of the survey respondents said being HIV positive had no impact on their working life. However receiving a diagnosis or changing medications were identified as flash-points when HIV had an impact. Despite this, over a third (34 per cent) had not taken any days off to attend HIV clinic appointments in the previous 12 months.
The research also looked at the question of disclosure; 60 per cent of survey respondents had disclosed their HIV status to someone at work, of whom three-quarters (77 per cent) reported a generally positive reaction. However, a fifth of respondents who had disclosed their HIV positive status at work had experienced discrimination in their current or previous job.
The research also looked at the type of reasonable adjustments people with HIV asked for. The most common were time off to go to clinic appointment and flexibility over working hours. You can read Working with HIV here which outlines the key findings and has a series of recommendations for employers, trade unions and people living with HIV. For more detailed information, read the research report here.
Information and advice for employers, small businesses and people living with HIV
Feedback from people living with HIV indicates that discrimination often occurs during recruitment, in small businesses and in the general course of employment.
We have developed resources to provide clear, practical advice to help small business owners and employers generally ensure that they are providing a fair and equitable working environment for employees who may be living with HIV (or any other unseen condition) and that they are not breaking the law.
The new Equality Act which reached the statute books in April introduces new protections for people living with HIV in the recruitment process. The Act prohibits the use of pre-employment health questionnaires before the offer of a job has been made. We will be updating our employment resources to reflect this change in advance of implementation of the new Act in October 2010. Until that time our employment resources remain current.
You can see what we're saying to employers and small businesses here and find out what advice we're providing to people living with HIV here.
Ensuring Positive Futures Project
NAT was an active partner of Ensuring Positive Futures (EPF), an innovative employability programme for people living with HIV in the UK. The programme's partners work closely with trade unions, employers and the public sector to ensure that workplaces meet their responsibilities to people living with HIV and follow best employment practice. The programme was part funded through the European Social Fund (ESF) and ended on 31 July 2007.