PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Employment: Disability (20 June 2019)

The Government is committed to protecting people with disabilities in the workplace and The Equality Act 2010 places obligations on employers with disabled employees, including the requirement to make reasonable adjustments, which may include granting leave related to the employee's disability.

However, the Act recognises the need to strike a balance between the needs of disabled people and those of employers. What is ‘reasonable’ will be different for each employer because of factors such as the practicality and the cost of making the adjustment. A court or tribunal may ultimately make a final decision on whether a particular person meets the definition of disability in the Act and whether an adjustment request is reasonable.

Practical advice on reasonable adjustments is available from a number of sources, including Acas and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The EHRC’s examples of reasonable adjustments for employers include disability leave.

If a disabled person feels that they have not been treated fairly by an employer, the Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS) offers information and advice about discrimination, including disability discrimination. EASS can be contacted by telephone, via an online contact form or by post.