Would you readily employ a disabled person or someone with a health condition?

Did you know that one in 5 people of working age are disabled or have a health condition. Or that 70% of disabled people or people with a long-term medical condition acquire their impairment during their working lives? Yet many employers are fearful of employing such people. The Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) has published guidance for employers to help recruit, retain and support disabled people in work.

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Flexible working – are you ready? What can we learn from case law?

You probably know that employees now have new legal rights to request flexible working. But are you fully prepared for the changes? For example, are your managers aware of how to avoid discrimination claims, and are you aware of practical implications from case law?

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Did you make the AoC diversity conference this year?

It was great to see so many of you at the AoC diversity conference in June. As promised, here are the links to the guidance I mentioned during my keynote speech in the afternoon

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Are you undergoing restructuring or redundancy?

Do you know how to avoid all the different types of unlawful discrimination in these situations? Have you assessed the impact of your plans or decisions in terms of equality and diversity? Are you aware of guidance by the Equality and Human Rights Commission that might help you to understand your legal obligations as an employer?

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Disabled or not disabled: that is not the only question?

What happens if an employer and an employee do not agree that the employee is a disabled person? What if an employee claims that they are a disabled person because they experience stress-related illness and depression, which involves considerable time off from work? Can an employer claim that they did not know an employee is a disabled person if the employee did not say? Would your managers know the answers to these questions? Three recent disability discrimination cases help bring clarity to these issues.

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