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Disability in Local Councils Initiative

Valuing Disabled Employees

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Disability Action

Disability Action works to ensure that people with disabilities attain their full rights as citizens by supporting inclusion, influencing government policy and changing attitudes in partnership with disabled people

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Disability Action Services

• Access

• Mobility Centre

• Transport

• Information & Policy

• Training

• Employment and Training

• Centre on Human Rights

• Community Development

• Count us in

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Training Support

• Supporting 400 young people with disabilities in mainstream training

• Delivering individualised support on work placement

• Disability Awareness Training• Job coaching• Natural Supports

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Workable NI

Supporting people with disabilities in employment with an individually agreed package of support

• Monitoring reasonable adjustment • Assistance with development costs• Liaison with support

networks • Building work skills • Training for employer

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Disability Statistics

• 1 in 5 adults in Northern Ireland has a disability

• 1 in 4 families here are affected by disability• A person with a disability is 3 times more

likely to be unemployed• 70% of people acquire their disability during

working life

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Reasonable Adjustments-Recruitment and Selection

• Attracting Disabled Applicants • Develop partnerships with support

organisations • Short-listing• Interviewing Disabled Applicants• Don’t make assumptions – seek clarification

from the individual• Introduce positive actions

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Reasonable Adjustments - To the Job

• Flexible working/adjustments to hours• Re-allocation of duties/internal transfer• Additional training or supervisory

support• Aids and adaptations/physical

adjustments• Adjustments to policy/procedures

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“Employee views”

Some very positive experiences, some negative

Inconsistent – perception of high dependence on line manager’s attitude

Managers and co-workers generally supportive

Reluctance by some individuals to request reasonable adjustment

Perception that some requests were reluctantly received

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Reasonable Adjustments - Entry Level Jobs?• Track career progression• Actively encourage disabled

employees to apply for training and promotion

• Ensure that information on training is accessible to disabled employees

• Ensure training delivery is accessible

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Reasonable Adjustment- Performance Issues

• Train managerial/supervisory staff• Disability equality training for staff

responsible for appraisal• Ensure appraisal system takes account

of reasonable adjustments • Ensure sick absence and performance

management processes are compliant

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Cont.

• Ensure staff are aware of internal and external supports

• Seek information from your disabled employee re reasonable adjustments

• Consider additional reasonable adjustments to improve performance

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Positive suggestions –by disabled staff • Proactive consideration of potential

adjustments at one to one or staff appraisal.

• Reassure that a positive view will be taken of requests for practical adjustments.

• Designate and publicise a contact point for staff to access information and advice on reasonable adjustments and employment issues.

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cont.• Train line managers on the implications of

the DDA and the employer’s equality policies.

• Disability Equality Training should be included as part of the induction programme for all staff.

• Encourage/offer confidence building for employees with disabilities to apply for training/promotion.

• Ensure reasonable adjustments do not have an unforeseen negative impact on training or promotion.

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Good Management

Success depends not only on policies but on

people

• Support and supervision• Staff appraisal• Positive working relationships• Engagement with staff• Developing staff to their full potential

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Inclusion and Engagement

• Consult disabled employees• Train supervisors and co-workers• Consider an employee focus group• Monitor the effectiveness of

reasonable adjustments• Communicate with employees and

other stakeholders

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Access to information

• Accessibility issues for general information• Disability specific

– Adjust policies and procedures– Develop disability policy

• Avoid good practice silos• Listen to disabled employees• Information network

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Disability Champion

• One point of contact• High level commitment• Focus for

– Engagement with disabled staff– Sharing best practice on reasonable

adjustment– Driving positive actions– Development of networks