City council signs charter protecting rights of terminally ill employees

Gloucester City Council has today added its name to a charter aimed at helping employees who become terminally ill at work.

The local authority is the latest employer to sign up to the Dying to Work Voluntary Charter, following in the footsteps of the likes of Rolls-Royce, Royal Mail and the Co-op.

The charter is part of the wider Dying to Work campaign led by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which is seeking greater security for terminally ill workers, so they cannot be dismissed as a result of their condition.

It was taken forward by the TUC in 2016 following the case of Jacci Woodcock, an area sales manager from Derbyshire who was forced out of her job after being diagnosed with terminal breast cancer.

The TUC is asking employers to sign up to its voluntary charter to stop cases like Jacci’s happening in the future.

It was signed today by Cllr Paul James, leader of Gloucester City Council, and Jon McGinty, the council’s managing director.

Cllr James said: “We are pleased to show our support for the TUC’s Dying to Work Voluntary Charter today. It’s important that employees who are diagnosed with a terminal illness know they will be supported by us and not face any additional stress.”

Mr McGinty said: “We hope that by signing this charter we will provide any employees and their families going through this ordeal with security and peace of mind.”

TUC South West Regional Secretary Nigel Costley said: “Your job should be the least of your worries when you get a terminal diagnosis. I’m delighted that Gloucester City Council has shown real leadership in this area, working with unions to guarantee fair treatment for terminally ill workers.

“We now have a million workers being covered by the Dying to Work charter across the country and we expect more employers to commit in the coming months.”