This working group will integrate quantitative and qualitative data on the role of employers and supervisors in the work participation of cancer patients and how they can promote or hinder the return-to-work.
Working group 3: The role of employers in work participation of cancer patients
The role of the employer or supervisor will be studied regarding communication on work participation matters with the patient, the colleagues and the medical and occupational professionals. Common workplace factors by employers effecting work participation of cancer patients such as workplace accommodations, the content of work, change of work times and rest times, adaptations of the physical workplace and travel arrangements will be considered. The valid and reliable assessment of these factors will be harmonised in order to establish results that can be generalised over European countries.
Discrimination of cancer survivors in work participation by employers in European countries will likewise be assessed in a harmonised matter thus allowing the assessment of discrimination on a European level.
The main approaches of this WG will be:
- Establishment of validated and reliable methods and instruments to assess the role of employers including their communication and provided workplace accommodations;
- Harmonisation of methods and instruments to assess discrimination towards cancer survivors regarding work participation; and
- Performance of quantitative and qualitative studies to study the role of employers in the work participation of cancer patients.
The main expected outcomes are:
- Identification of the effect of the role of employers and health care professionals in the work participation of cancer patients;
- Validated instruments; and
- Identification of discrimination against cancer survivors.
