• Illegal for employers to treat someone differently from other employees because of disability.

•   Highlights disabled people as: having a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Impairment has a long-term effect if it has lasted or is likely to last for more than 12 months

• Employers’ duty to make reasonable adjustments to avoid the disadvantage of that disability/ health condition in comparison to other workers. e.g.

• removing, altering, or providing means of avoiding a physical feature e.g., design of a building, access to a building, furniture/fixings within the building.

• Changing work patterns

• Treating disability related absence differently from sick leave

• Providing support worker

• Desk in quieter area

• Allocating a parking space

• Providing equipment

  
  

  (UK Government, 2010), (Wadham, 2017)

(Government Digital Service, 2012)

(Government Digital Service, 2012a)

UK Government (2010). Equality Act 2010. [online] Legislation.gov.uk. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/20.

Green, A. (2020). Spatial inequalities in access to Good Work. [online] Available at: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/324098789.pdf.

Government Digital Service (2012). Get Support in Work If You Have a Disability or Health Condition (Access to Work). [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work [Accessed 16 Nov. 2023].

Government Digital Service (2012a). Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance/what-youll-get [Accessed 16 Nov. 2023].

Collett, J., Brusco, N., Cordell, N., Cockroft, A., Lawrie, S., Coe, S., Reed, A. and Dawes, H. (2022). Lost employment potential and supporting people with Parkinson’s to stay in work: insights from a Pan European cross-sectional survey. Disability and Rehabilitation, 45(5), pp.1–8. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2043460.

Hogan, A., Kyaw-Myint, S.M., Harris, D. and Denronden, H. (2012). Workforce Participation Barriers for People With Disability. International Journal of Disability Management, 7, pp.1–9. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/idm.2012.1.

Written evidence - Rethink Mental Illness (mind.org.uk)

Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (2021) COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing surveillance: report. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-mental-health-and-wellbeing-surveillance-report London: OHID

Cameron J, Sadlo G, Hart A, Walker C (2016) Return-to-work support for employees with mental health problems: identifying and responding to key challenges of sick leave. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79(5), 275– 283.

MIND (2018) 40 per cent of all GP appointments about mental health. (News). Available at: https://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/40-per-cent-of-all-gp-appointments-about-mental-health/ London: MIND

Jarman V, Hancock N, Scanlan JN (2016) Maintaining my employment: learning from people living and working with mental illness. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79(11), 660–668

Blank A, Harries P, Reynolds F (2011) Mental health service users’ perspectives of work: a review of the literature. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(4), 191–199.

The authors identify the need for support, which is sensitive to the individual’s recovery journey and work relationships, to help people on sick leave to keep in touch with work and to maintain a resilient work orientation and identity.

Many people with physical impairments have mobility aids to assist them. some simple steps to ensure an employee with a physical impairment can fulfil their potential at work.

include:

• providing assistive computer equipment such as modifications to hardware or voice activated software

• agreeing an emergency evacuation procedure with them if they require assistance

• making sure that the layout of the working environment is accessible and free from obstructions (GOV.UK, n.d.)

www.citizensadvice.org.uk. (n.d.). What counts as disability discrimination. [online] Available at: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/discrimination-because-of-disability/what-counts-as-disability-discrimination/#h-disability-discrimination-at-work.

Versus Arthritis. (n.d.). Work. [online] Available at: https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/living-with-arthritis/work/.

Hidden impairments are conditions that are not apparent to others. such as:

• autistic spectrum conditions (ASCs)

• dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyscalculia

• learning disabilities

Autistic spectrum conditions (ASCs)

In the UK, half a million adults are thought to have an ASC. difficulties may include:

• communication

• understanding the feelings of others

• meeting new people

• adapting to change and new routines

People with an ASC may also have high levels of accuracy, attention to detail and a good memory for figures.

Adjustments for an employee with an ASC include:

• maintaining a structured working environment and routine

• avoiding language which is hypothetical or abstract

• avoiding making statements which could be taken literally(GOV.UK, n.d.).

Access to Work may be able to provide an assessment of your needs at work, and help with things like equipment, adapting premises or a support worker(www.citizensadvice.org.uk, n.d.).

Reasonable adjustments which your employer may be required to make can include, where possible:

• changing or modifying the tasks which are part of your job

• altering work patterns/hours

• providing special equipment

• allowing time off to attend appointments

• help with travel to and from work (the Government provides grants for this through the Access to Work scheme).

Flexibility in working hours, practices and your roles and responsibilities can make a big difference.

For example, because symptoms of arthritis and related conditions are often worse in the morning, you might be able to have flexible hours so that your working day starts and finishes later. This could also help you to avoid busy commuting times(Versus Arthritis, n.d.).

With the assistance of your employer, you may be able to make some or all of the following changes:

• moving your work station

• trying a different office chair

• using a back rest and/or foot support

• using equipment or technology that could make the tasks easier

• working from home, for at least part of the week

• working part-time

• swapping certain tasks with colleagues.