New Employer Toolkit launched to help support people with epilepsy in the workplace

A new Employer Toolkit has been launched this week by Epilepsy Action to better support people with epilepsy in the workplace. This follows what the charity calls “a dire need for more understanding of the condition” at work.

Only 34% of people with epilepsy of a working age are in employment, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics. Those who are, earn on average 11.8% less than people without epilepsy.

One major barrier for people with epilepsy to get and stay in work is a lack of understanding around the condition, Epilepsy Action said. A 2016 YouGov survey showed that a quarter of respondents (26%) were concerned about working with someone with epilepsy. Of those, nearly two-thirds (63%) said it was because they didn’t know how to help a colleague having a seizure.

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