Tighter sanctions should be considered for employers who do not cooperate with the government's Health and Work Service, despite plans for it to remain voluntary, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says.
Last year the Department for Work and Pensions revealed its full plans for the service, which will enable employers to refer staff who have been or are expected to be off work sick for more than four weeks. The service is expected to be launched in April 2015.
Speaking at the launch of the report, Mental Health and Work in the UK, report author Shruti Singh said: "The Health and Work Service seems promising, but our [the OECD's] major concern is that it's on a voluntary basis."
Singh referred to a similar, voluntary model that had been adopted for 10 years in Norway with undesirable results, adding that "we know a voluntary structure doesn't work".
"Our big concern about the big investment into the Health and Work Service is that nothing might be achieved because there is no obligation on employers and GPs," Singh said.
In January, a survey revealed the vast majority of HR managers at larger firms lacked confidence in the government's new return to work service.
