WIREDGOV

Lack of reasonable adjustments in the workplace are “holding disabled people back” at work, the TUC warned yesterday (12 May).

• Over eight in ten (82%) disabled workers wait between 4 months and over a year to have agreed reasonable adjustments put in place – when requests are met at all.
• Over half (55%) of disabled workers don’t have requests for reasonable adjustments met – or have them only partially met.  
• When requests are not met, an alarmingly high number (19%) of disabled workers are not given reasons for refusals. 

The warning comes as new survey from the union body reveals that over eight in ten (82%) disabled workers had to wait between 4 months and over a year to have their agreed reasonable adjustments put in place. 

And the research shows that over half of disabled workers (over 55%) don’t have their reasonable adjustment requests met at all or only have them partially met. 

Reasons for refusal  

When a reasonable adjustment request wasn’t met, almost one in five (19%) weren’t given a reason for the refusal.  

Of those disabled workers who were given a reason for the refusal:   

• Almost one in four (24%) reported that their employer found their request ‘not practical to implement’.
• Almost one in five (18%) reported their employer did not agree the disadvantage without the adjustment was substantial.
• More than one in five (22%) said their employer did not think the adjustment would ‘resolve the disadvantage’.
• Almost one in five (19%) reported that their employer said the ‘financial cost was too high’. 

Legal duty 

All employers have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to proactively make reasonable adjustments to remove, reduce or prevent any disadvantages that disabled workers face.   

Reasonable adjustments can include allowing an employee to work different hours or from home; or providing specialised equipment like adapted keyboards or screen readers. 

The union body says that access to reasonable adjustments is a key factor that can make the difference for disabled workers between being able to stay in work or having to leave employment.  

Keeping people in work 

Disabled people who can and want to work should receive the support they need to enter and stay in employment, says the TUC. 

But for those who are forced out of work due to lack of reasonable adjustments, leaving employment might also negatively impact their entitlement to benefits. 

The TUC is calling on the Government to ensure that – where people are forced to leave work because of employers not putting in place reasonable adjustments – disabled workers don’t face cuts to their benefits entitlement.    

The government should also require employers to record impairment-related sick leave separately from other sick leave. This would stop disabled workers from being pulled into automated HR processes by triggering an employer’s sick leave policy. 

More widely, government must ensure that social security provides disabled people with the support they need to move into and stay in work, recognising the additional costs that disability brings. 

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak yesterday said: 

"We all want to live and work in dignity. 

"But far too many disabled workers face seemingly never-ending barriers that prevent them from being able to work, progress in their career and thrive. 

"And once they're in work, disabled workers should see their request for reasonable adjustments met. 

"This is a no brainer. It's good for workers, good for employers who would be able to retain more workers, and good for the government in their drive to keep disabled people who can and want to work into employment." 

On the government's social security reforms, Paul yesterday said: 

"Many disabled people rely on the social security system to provide support so they cna work. 

"The government should make sure that social security reform is done in the right way - those who need support to work must be protected and the scale of the cuts should be reconsidered." 

Notes to Editors: 

• These finding are part of a report published yesterday by the TUC: “Disabled workers’ access to reasonable adjustments”. The report provides quantitative insights based on a survey of 1,000 disabled workers.   
• About the TUC: The Trades Union Congress (TUC) exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together the 5.5 million working people who make up our 48 member unions. We support unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for everyone who works for a living.