DOES your organisation offer outstanding, practical support to staff with seizures?
Epilepsy Scotland needs your help to find the top Employer of the Year when it comes to epilepsy. We want to locate workplaces which go that ‘extra mile’ for an employee with this common condition.
Epilepsy Scotland’s chief executive, Lesslie Young, explained: “Even before the double-dip recession, employment studies revealed that a person with epilepsy is twice as likely to be unemployed as someone without disability. So our Award, which is unique in the UK, acknowledges employers who do all they can to enable someone with this condition to contribute fully at work.
“Often these employers think they are not doing anything special, but in fact they are leaders in occupational health. Their employees are not being held back in their careers by health circumstances or by any discrimination or stigma linked with epilepsy. It’s a great example for all employers to follow.”
Online or postal nominations, by Tuesday 26 March, can be made by anyone on the workforce. The winning employer will be presented with their national award trophy by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Alex Neil MSP at a black tie ceremony on 25 April in Glasgow’s Grand Central Hotel.
ENDS
Notes to editor
* EpilepsyScotland- established in 1954 – works with people affected by epilepsy to ensure their voice is heard. We campaign for improved healthcare, better information provision and an end to stigma. We represent one in 97 people with this common neurological condition – that’s over 54,000 individuals – as well as their families and carers.
* Our freephone helpline 0808 800 2 200 offers information on epilepsy matters including employment issues as does our website: www.epilepsyscotland.org.uk The Employer of the Year award form and Best Practice Certificate can be completed online of be posted to us.
* There are two Employer of the Year categories; one for organisations which employ up to 50 people and one for those with more than 50 employees.
* The award was launched on 14 February 2013, as St Valentine is the patron saint for epilepsy. The closing date for award entries is 26 March 2013, International Purple Day, a fun day for raising public awareness.
* The Employer of the Year winners will attend a presentation ceremony by Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Alex Neil MSP. This will be before a mainly corporate audience at Epilepsy Scotland’s Glasgow Wag of Wags black-tie dinner, Thursday 25 April in the Grand Central Hotel.
* This is the fifth Employer of the Year award for epilepsy. Previous award winners include Harry Gow Bakery (Inverness), DARE hair salon (Aberdeen), Fife Constabulary, CMM Architects (Glasgow), Russell Hamilton Business systems (Glasgow) and the Scottish Parliament.
* Studies have shown that a person with epilepsy is twice as likely to be unemployed as someone without a disability. (‘JEC Epilepsy Taskforce: Burden of Epilepsy – a health economics perspective 1999’) Research has also revealed that people with epilepsy may take fewer seizures when employed and can have better than average work attendance rates (‘NSE: Epilepsy, a guide to employment 2002’).
* Employment case studies are available for the media to highlight a range of good/not so good employment experiences among people with epilepsy.
For more award details contact: Allana Parker, public affairs officer: Direct line: 0141 419 1701. Mobile 07884 012 147.
MEDIA RELEASE posted by Epilepsy Scotland. You too can post media releases on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.
Contact: Allana Parker
