‘Reasonable Adjustments’ at work

The term reasonable adjustment comes from the Equality Act 2010, but are also known as workplace adjustments, accommodations or simply as ‘changes.’

Employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees or potential employees who apply for jobs. The purpose of adjustments is to remove or reduce barriers to a disabled employee performing the job well. Reasonable adjustments are specific to an individual person. They can be for physical or mental health conditions. They can cover any area of work. It's not enough for employers to provide disabled people with exactly the same working conditions as non-disabled people. Failing to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people could be disability discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. (Definition of disability https://www.acas.org.uk/what-disability-means-by-law)

For example:
  • finding a different way to do something
  • making changes to the workplace
  • changing someone's working arrangements
  • providing equipment, services or support

Employers must make reasonable adjustments when:
  • they know, or could reasonably be expected to know, someone is disabled
  • a disabled staff member or job applicant asks for adjustments
  • someone who's disabled is having difficulty with any part of their job
  • someone's absence record, sickness record or delay in returning to work is because of, or linked to, their disability
See more detailed information here https://www.acas.org.uk/reasonable-adjustments

The SSTA is seeking information from members who have sought ‘reasonable adjustments’ and had changes made or refused.

Please help by completing this short survey.

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