Disability in employment: policy, procedure and guidance

1. Equality Act 2010

  1. The Equality Act 2010 provides protection against discrimination, harassment and victimisation on the grounds of disability. Details about the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Duty.

2. Recruitment and selection

  1. The University encourages applications from candidates with a disability and will make reasonable adjustments where possible at all stages of the recruitment process.
  2. The University has policies in place including the; the Recruitment Policy and Equality and Diversity in Employment Policy, for the recruitment of disabled people and will review and develop recruitment and promotion procedures in accordance with legislation. All staff involved in recruitment and selection will be made aware of the Equality Act 2010 and the University's Recruitment Policy and Equality and Diversity in Employment Policy through the Recruitment and Selection Training Course.
  3. Recruitment will be on merit and discussions about reasonable adjustments will be separate from consideration of the applicant's suitability for the post applied for.

3. Retention

  1. The University undertakes, so far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure that members of staff who become disabled are able to remain in their role, before a consideration of other alternatives.
  2. If a member of staff becomes disabled during the course of their employment, professional advice may be sought from a range of sources and may include the provision of equipment and adaptations.
  3. Consideration will be given to requests, which may be considered as a Reasonable Adjustment, from members of staff who become disabled for reduced or part-time hours/duties, whether on a temporary or permanent basis.
  4. Where redeployment is considered appropriate the disabled member of staff will be given appropriate training/retraining. Please refer to the University's Redeployment Policy and Procedures.

4. Working environment

  1. The University will take reasonable steps to ensure that the working environment enables disabled staff to take up and retain posts for which they are suitably experienced and/or qualified.
  2. Wherever possible disabled staff will be consulted over changes to the working environment and employment practices to ensure that, so far as is reasonably practicable, their needs are recognised and met.
  3. Where appropriate, advice about such changes will be sought from the line manager and professional advice from an HR Adviser, Occupational Health, Disability Services and Estates Services where adaptations to premises are required.
  4. The University will as far as is reasonably practicable, provide auxiliary aids, equipment funded if possible through Access to Work, or adaptations to premises. Where reasonably practicable, jobs may be restructured to enable disabled staff to work with the maximum effectiveness and efficiency.
  5. Departments must seek to establish working conditions which encourage the full participation of disabled staff where it is reasonably practicable to do so. Departments must also do what is reasonably practicable to ensure the retention of existing disabled staff through the adjustment of work and/or working arrangements, training or other appropriate measures, where necessary with specialist advice from an HR Adviser, Occupational Health or Disability Services.
  6. When the University and its departments invest in new or refurbished buildings every practical effort will be made to anticipate for the needs of disabled staff.
  7. The University's work to ensure that the needs of disabled staff are taken into account is overseen by the Disability Inclusion Framework.

5. Disclosing a disability

  1. All members of staff will be given opportunities and are encouraged to declare a disability to their line manager or HR Adviser and request adjustment to the working environment; every effort will be made to put reasonable adjustments in place.
  2. As stated in the Recruitment Policy, the University wishes to encourage the recruitment of staff with disabilities and will make reasonable adjustments to all stages of the recruitment process and as required in order for a successful candidate with a disability to undertake the post.

6. Complaints

  1. Members of staff who believe they have not been treated equitably in accordance with the Disability in Employment Policy are encouraged to raise their concerns with their line manager or seek advice from an HR Adviser or the Equality and Diversity Office. Where possible, the aim will be to address such concerns informally. Mediation may also be considered as an informal approach to deal with concerns prior to a member of staff pursuing a formal complaint in accordance with the Grievance Procedure.

    There is an expectation that every effort will be made to resolve any complaints of harassment through informal procedures, including complaints of harassment related to a disability.
    The Dignity at Work and Study Policy.

  2. Heads of Department, senior members of staff, line managers and supervisors are responsible for handling and addressing complaints from members of staff under the Disability in Employment Policy. A breach of the Policy by a member of staff may be dealt with under the University's Disciplinary Procedures. Advice on what would be an appropriate outcome should be sought from the Director of Human Resources and/or the Equality and Diversity Office. An individual member of staff with a complaint may obtain support from the Equality and Diversity office (where appropriate) and/or their Trades Union.
  3. If an applicant wishes to complain about a disability issue in relation to the University's recruitment and selection procedures in general, or their application for a specific post, this should be made to the Director of Human Resources who will arrange for the matter to be investigated and for the complainant to receive a response, including a summary of any action taken.
  4. Any action taken under the University's Grievance Procedure is without prejudice to any statutory right to make a complaint under the Equality Act 2010 to an Employment Tribunal or other appropriate statutory body, or to involve the Equality and Human Rights Commission or any other appropriate external body.
  5. So far as is reasonably practicable, the University will protect members of staff or job applicants who make a complaint under these procedures from victimisation.
  6. The University will review its progress in implementing this policy every 3 years through the Equality and Diversity Committee and within relevant meetings with stakeholders including the Disabled Staff Network and the Unions.

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  • Last reviewed: 29 February 2016