Reasonable Adjustments at Work - Understanding Employers’ Duties under the Equality Act 2010

Introduction

Anyone employing staff should have a good understanding of when the duty to make reasonable adjustments arises under the Equality Act 2010 and what this means in practice.

The duty to make reasonable adjustments aims to facilitate the retention of employees with disabilities in the workplace. Employers need to understand when the duty is triggered, what steps may be reasonable and how the duty interacts with sickness absence, performance management and other employment processes.

There can be significant practical and legal consequences where an employer fails to properly identify or consider the duty to make reasonable adjustments, including the right for employees to claim compensation for injury to feelings. Employers should therefore have appropriate processes in place for responding to requests for adjustments and for considering adjustments even where an employee has not made a formal request.

The duty is not unlimited and what constitutes a reasonable adjustment will depend on the circumstances of each case. Understanding factors such as the effectiveness of an adjustment, its practicability and the financial and other costs involved is essential when deciding what steps an employer should take.

In addition to providing information, this virtual classroom seminar will include interactive case studies examining how the duty to make reasonable adjustments can arise in practice and what can go wrong if an employer fails to deal with it appropriately.

What You Will Learn

This live and interactive course will cover the following:

• When does the duty to make reasonable adjustments arise under the Equality Act 2010?
• Who is protected by the duty and what constitutes a disability for the purposes of the Equality Act?
• What types of reasonable adjustments might an employer consider?
• How should employers respond to or investigate requests for reasonable adjustments?
• Can an employer be under a duty to make adjustments where an employee has not specifically asked for them?
• How should employers consider reasonable adjustments in relation to sickness absence, performance management and disciplinary procedures?
• What factors determine whether an adjustment is “reasonable”?
• Is the employer’s knowledge of the disability relevant in this context?
• What are the risks of failing to properly consider or implement reasonable adjustments?
• Recent case law and practical examples illustrating the duty in the workplace

Recording of live sessions: Soon after the Learn Live session has taken place you will be able to go back and access the recording - should you wish to revisit the material discussed.