New TUC & GMB passports will help almost 1m disabled people get the support they need at work

26 Feb 2019 11:58 AM

New TUC and GMB passports will help almost one million disabled people get the support they need at work.

The TUC and the GMB yesterday (Monday) launched a new disability passport to help the nearly 1 million (946,010) disabled people who fall out of work or switch employers each year to get the support they need. 

Disabled people can leave their jobs for many reasons. One preventable reason is when employers fail to carry out their legal duty to make – and keep in place – the reasonable adjustments their disabled staff need to do their jobs.  

With 1in 10 (390,820) disabled people dropping out of work and 1 in 7 (555,190) finding new employment every year, the TUC and the GMB believe it is vital to find a more successful and unified way of agreeing and recording what modifications need to be put in place.  

So the TUC and the GMB have produced a model reasonable adjustments employer agreement, for reps to agree with their employer, and a template reasonable adjustments passport, to capture what adjustments have been put in place to eliminate barriers in the workplace.   

These adjustments could include: providing specially adapted equipment (like a chair, desk or computer), temporarily changing the duties of the job, changing break times or working patterns, or allowing flexible working or time off for medical appointments.  

When the adjustments are agreed, the passport is signed by everyone. The document can be reviewed at regular intervals and means disabled people don’t have to explain their requirements every time their line manager changes, or they change roles within their organisation.   

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady yesterday said:

“Disabled people face many barriers when it comes to finding good, rewarding jobs. Employers must do more to make the reasonable adjustments they need.  

“Disabled workers live with the constant threat of losing their reasonable adjustments every time their boss or job changes. 

“The TUC and the GMB’s passport is an ideal place to officially and clearly record what adjustments have been agreed, so disabled workers aren’t going back to the starting line every time they get a new manager or role.” 

GMB general secretary Tim Roache yesterday said:

“It's been law for employers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled workers for almost a quarter of a century. 

“Yet many can face a daily battle with bosses just for the basic things they need to do their job. 

“This means stress and misery for them and their families - and can lead to poverty, hardship and unemployment when they feel forced out of their jobs; disabled workers are twice as likely to drop out of work than non-disabled workers. 

“But our new reasonable adjustment disability passport could tackle that - no matter where they work or who their boss is, this document will support the reasonable adjustments a disabled worker is legally entitled to. 

“It’s a short policy that could improve the lives of millions of workers.”  

Notes to editors: 

 

Disabled employees who have been with current employer less than a year  

Disabled people not in work who left their last job within the last year  

Total disabled people changing jobs or leaving work in last year  

North East 

20,950 

19,220 

40,160 

North West 

68,080 

47,860 

115,940 

Yorkshire and the Humber 

54,220 

31,240 

85,450 

East Midlands 

41,880 

34,370 

76,250 

West Midlands 

45,530 

29,880 

75,410 

East of England 

48,180 

40,850 

89,030 

London 

58,920 

36,690 

95,610 

South East 

77,720 

46,060 

123,780 

South West 

58,710 

35,930 

94,640 

Wales 

28,960 

25,330 

54,290 

Scotland 

42,520 

36,290 

78,800 

Northern Ireland 

9,520 

7,110 

16,620 

Total 

555,160  

390,810  

945,970 


Figures: 4-quarter average for the latest quarters (Q4 2017-Q3 2018) from the ONS Labour Force Survey.