Disabled Staff

The Disability Discrimination Act was set up to ensure that disabled people are treated fairly. It can make good business sense to employ disabled staff. The act has been superceded by the Equality Act of 2010 but the principles of both acts are as follows.
About Discrimination
Employers cannot discriminate against a disabled person when recruiting, promoting, dismissing or making redundant members of staff on the grounds of their disability.Discrimination also occurs when a person suffers the following on the grounds of their disability:
- Is unjustifiably treated less favourably than others
- Is subjected to harassment
- Is victimised
Discrimination also occurs when an employer fails to make a 'reasonable adjustment' in relation to a disabled staff member. Reasonable means in proportion to the specific circumstances and situation, balancing the costs involved and an employer's resources. Reasonable adjustments are actions that an employer takes to ensure an employee or job applicant is not substantially placed at a disadvantage compared to others. This could include adjustments to staff training, the recruitment process or staff benefits or the modification of equipment, including changes to the premises, adjusting or adding flexibility to work patterns and rest breaks and giving employees time off to attend medical appointments or for recuperation.
Why Employing Disabled People is Good for Business
There are very good reasons for Employing Disabled People to work for your company. You can:- Widen your pool of candidates from which to recruit staff
- Gain a competitive advantage by having a diverse workforce that can attract a diverse range of customers. It's perhaps worth remembering that there are over 10 million registered disabled people in Britain, most of whom are potential customers or employees
- Make your business more representative of the whole community and foster a positive public image as a fair and inclusive business
- Boost staff morale and loyalty by your staff who consider your business to be fair to and representative of all people
- Avoid claims of unlawful disability discrimination
There is funding available to support businesses who wish to employ disabled people. If you have the attitude that you want the best person for the job, then by not excluding disabled people, you are widening your choice and have a better chance of finding the most suitable person to do the job. Disabled people can often be more committed and more productive than other workers. By recruiting them, it means you, as an employer, take equal opportunities and social responsibilities seriously which, in turn, gains the respect from the rest of your workforce, your customers and your shareholders and investors alike.
Re: Working At Night
Are night workers able to work 12 nights in a row, doing a 12 hour shift. With only one night off.
Re: Employer Has Changed My Shifts: What Are My Rights?
I work on a rolling rota and look after 2 grandsons on days off ..my employer and changed my shift…
Re: Working with Dangerous Substances
Hi work on the highways and we work both days and nights, although we are busy throughout the year on both and the company…
Re: Sexual Harassment at Work
I was extremely short of breath and constantly tired due to my Emphysema, I was introduced to VineHealth Center and their COPD Herbal…
Re: COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Causes
I was extremely short of breath and constantly tired due to my Emphysema, I was introduced to…
Re: Sickness: Your Rights
Question about filling in a SSP note.I have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and this week have taken a week of work with severe pain and…
Re: Working At Night
Hi , we work 19 days straight on a 6:00 - 14:00 then 12 hour days on the weekend then 14:00 - 22:00 for the week the do 12 hour nights that…
Re: Employer's Duty of Care
my boyfriend is an engineer working on different lift's from passenger disabled kids space hotels and dumb waiter's and OAP he's got an…
Re: Working At Night
Hi can I work 7 nightshift on and seven off.? Is there any law that say I can't?
Re: Employer Has Changed My Shifts: What Are My Rights?
I use to work a 3 shift patern but for the last 3 months i rotate from normal 8 hour shifts to 12…