Addressing HIV and Aids in the workplace

HIV and Aids continue to present major challenges to employers and employees, specifically for those infected and affected.

In 2020, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and Aids (UNAIDS) reported that at the end of 2019, 38 million people globally were living with HIV, of whom 36.2 million were adults. In addition, data collected from 25 countries reported that more than 50 per cent of adults have discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV.

The impact of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (Aids) on the workplace has been widely recognised by the International Labour Organization (ILO). Stigma and discrimination within the workplace may result from practices such as pre-employment HIV testing or screening, discriminatory terms or conditions for continued employment, breaches of confidentiality, unfair dismissals on the basis of real or perceived HIV status, and the denial of employee benefits.

Current statistical data on infection and mortality rates in Trinidad and Tobago suggest a declining trend. In 2014, cases of new infection stood at 1053 overall, and by 2017 had declined to 524. However, mitigating the impact of HIV, and ensuring the best quality of life for those infected, requires ongoing support. The Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, recognising the impact that HIV and Aids, could have on the workforce, welcomed the invitation to partner with the Ministry of Labour’s HIV Workplace Advocacy Unit (HWAU) to address the impact of HIV-related stigma and discrimination in the workplace. The unit plays a leading and coordinating role in the national response to HIV and Aids in the workplace through its mandate to advocate and provide technical support for the adoption and implementation of the National Workplace Policy on HIV and Aids (2017) in all workplaces in TT, including the public and private sectors, as well as civil society organisations and workplaces in the informal economy. The objectives of the unit are to:

• reduce employment related stigma and discrimination against persons living with and affected by HIV and Aids; and

• reduce behaviours that put workers at risk of contracting HIV (and other sexually transmitted infections), by providing employers and employees with information and behaviour change strategies.

Employers are therefore encouraged by the HWAU to adopt and implement the national policy to address these issues in the workplace. If not managed effectively, employers may risk employees reporting for duty discouraged and or depressed. In addition, there is the potential loss of skilled workers and increased staff turnover which may lead to decreased productivity. A workplace policy therefore encourages action on the part of the employer and the worker in a concerted effort towards the prevention of HIV and Aids and therefore, ensures a healthy and productive workforce. The HWAU provides technical assistance and support to client organisations and stakeholders in developing their workplace policies and programmes.

Partnerships such as this between the chamber and the HWAU afford numerous opportunities to mitigate the impact of HIV and achieve the goal of effectively reducing and managing HIV in the workplace. As a critical entry point, the workplace provides the avenue to reach workers and their families with HIV prevention, care, treatment and support services.

The TT Chamber invites the business community to contact the HWAU manager, Heather Rodney at 462-5236 or email hivadvocacy2018@gmail.com for the development or review of their HIV workplace policy. In so doing, organisations exhibit their willingness to promote openness and acceptance of persons living with and affected by HIV and Aids.