Is hybrid working beneficial for employee wellbeing?
October 9 2023
Read moreThe Equality Act of 2010 defines a disabled person as someone with a mental or physical injury. The impairment has a long-term effect on their ability to carry out day-to-day activities.
This post explores reasonable adjustments at work and what happens if you fail to make these changes for your disabled employees.
It relates to your duty of care to all of your employees, able-bodied or not.
Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 require action from the employer to reduce or eliminate the disadvantages that a disabled employee may face because of their disability.
Depending on the particular impairment of your employee, alterations might differ.
The point of making these amendments is to put your disabled staff members on an equal footing with their colleagues.
But remember, affected employees may be wondering, “What reasonable adjustments can I ask for?” Depending on the disability, changes may vary.
Examples of reasonable adjustments for disability include:
Examples of reasonable adjustments for mental health include:
It’s worth noting it’s a good idea to consider these adjustments in the recruitment process. Disabled candidates should have the same chances to be considered for a job as anybody else.
According to Acas’ reasonable adjustments guide, you must also make changes to the recruitment process if:
After the application process, if you’re offering the disabled candidate the position, you should ask what adjustments will be needed.
Changes to duties, equipment or the workplace are a legal requirement for employers with disabled employees.
Failing to make them means you’ll be opening yourself up to disability discrimination claims.
Staff members that feel you’re not meeting your obligations can bring a claim of discrimination to an employment tribunal.
How can an employee confirm their medical condition? The best possible option is for them to request evidence from their doctor.
While the Equality Act 2010 protects employees against discrimination, they may be expected to prove their impairment meets the legal definition of a disability.
However, it may be difficult to prove neurological conditions like depression, RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) or even ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). We discuss what qualifies as a disability further in a previous article.
If you’d like to find out more information on any of the topics mentioned in this article, please contact Health Assured on 0844 892 2493.
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