Talking about disability at work Objectives How to talk about disability or health conditions when finding work Equal Opportunities Reasonable adjustments and Access to Work Skills practice in talking about disability

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Talking about disability and health conditionsThere are no hard and fast rules about telling your employer that you are a disabled person.

You do not have to tell an employer. It’s up to you to decide if, and at what point in applying for a job, you let an employer know.

Reasons for talking about disabilityIf you mention you are disabled during the application process, and then feel you have been treated unfairly, you can make a complaint under the Equality Act.If you have not told the employer that you are disabled, it may be possible for them to say that they did not know they needed to make any reasonable adjustments. If you have told an employer that you are disabled or have a health condition, the employer cannot lawfully refuse to employ you because of it without a genuine reason.

Reasonable adjustmentsThe Equality Act 2010 requires employers and service providers to make 'reasonable adjustments' that will allow disabled people to access the same opportunities and services as non-disabled people. Bear in mind that what is reasonable for one organisation may be impossible for another.

Examples of reasonable adjustments:

making adjustments to premises allocating some of the disabled person’s duties to another person altering working hours allowing absence for rehabilitation or treatment arranging or giving extra training acquiring or modifying equipment modifying instructions or reference manuals providing a reader or interpreter providing supervision adjustable chairs or desks

Examples of physical features which it might be possible to change:

steps and stairs passageways and paths entrances and exits internal and external doors

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toilets signs lighting and ventilation the size of premises

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Activity 1 – what reasonable adjustments might you need?

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Access to Work schemeAs a disabled person, you can get funding from Access to Work for any specialist equipment, extra transport costs and help to do your job.Employers are often worried about the potential costs of taking on a disabled employee. Many are not aware of the Access to Work scheme. By openly discussing disability, you will be able to raise your employer's awareness about the help that is available and allow them to focus on your skills and abilities.

What is Access to Work? Access to Work (AtW) is a scheme run by Jobcentre Plus. The scheme provides advice and practical support to disabled people to enable them to work alongside their colleagues.

Am I eligible for help through Access to Work? If you are disabled and in a job, about to start in a job, about to start a Work Trial or are self-employed, AtW could benefit you. It applies to any paid job, part-time or full-time, permanent or temporary. There is no minimum number of hours for eligibility for support under the scheme. Unemployed or employed disabled people needing help with communication at a job interview can also get help through AtW.

What type of help is provided through Access to Work? Access to Work can help pay for:

adaptations to premises and equipment special aids and equipment support workers travel to work where there is no practical public transport

alternative, and travel within work awareness training for your colleagues

How will my needs be assessed? An Access to Work Adviser will normally phone you at work. The adviser will also need to discuss the application with your employer to enable them to come to the most effective solution.Before the assessment, think about your job, what tasks you are required to do and what support you need to do them. It’s important to have your say in assessing your needs at work.

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Why talk about disability?Equal Opportunities policies

Some employers are part of the Disability Confident scheme, which is run by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

This symbol means that the employer has made a commitment to employing disabled people.

The symbol also means that the employer has guaranteed to interview any disabled candidates if they meet the minimum criteria from the person specification.

Look out for positive statements about disability on an employer's Equal Opportunities policy.

Disability confident employers list (GOV.UK)

Positive aspects of disability

Your life as a disabled person may also have provided you with unique experiences that may be useful in the workplace. For example, having autism might give you specialist knowledge about a certain area, such as transport.Or having mobility problems might mean that you are more creative in coming up with solutions to problems.

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When to talk about itIf you decide to tell a potential employer, the next stage is to establish at what point in the application process you should tell them.

CVs

It is not necessary to mention you are disabled on your CV.

You may feel that an employer will see disability as the most important thing about you or make assumptions about you as a disabled person.

Also, there may not be room on your CV to explain about how you could do the job with reasonable adjustments.

If the CV is not followed by an application form or cover letter, you need to decide if you would prefer for an employer to know that you are disabled before you are called for an interview. This may depend on whether you will need a reasonable adjustment to perform at the interview and in the job.

Covering letter

You do not need to say that you are disabled on the CV or covering letter. However, if your CV highlights that you are disabled (for example, you attended the Scope First Impressions programme or play in a disabled sports team), the covering letter allows you the opportunity to explain in more detail than on a CV.

You can also highlight the range of adjustments and funding through the Access to Work scheme.

Bear in mind that the focus of a covering letter should always be on your skills to do the job.

Application form

Some application forms ask direct questions about disability, so you can consider what details you choose to include at this stage.

Equal Opportunities monitoring form

Some employers may have an Equal Opportunities monitoring form for all applicants. These forms are not used to judge application forms and are separated from the form. The people who carry out the shortlisting process do not see these forms.

Interview

It is important to focus at an interview on the ways in which you fit the requirements for the job.

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During an interview, you can talk positively about the range of support and equipment that can help you to do the job.

You do not have to tell an employer that you are disabled. It might be a good idea to plan how you tell an employer.

This means that you can discuss your experience as a disabled person positively and on your own terms so that you can retain a focus on your skills and abilities.

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Activity 2Write down how you can positively describe your experiences as a disabled person on an application form:

Personal action plan – how to talk about disability at work What have I learnt?

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What more support do I need?

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