The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on employers to “take steps to remove, reduce or prevent” obstacles faced by disabled employees or applicants. Disabled staff have on occasions indicated that they feel uncomfortable initiating discussions regarding their specific support requirements, particularly if there has been a change in the impact of their impairment or if their manager has changed or they move to a new role within the University. Managers also often report that they feel ill-equipped to have what can often be very sensitive and difficult discussions with their staff. They would benefit from having a framework for such discussions, through which a document can be produced which is agreed by both the disabled staff member and their manager and which can be reviewed periodically as necessary.
The purpose of the Workplace Adjustment Plan
It is with this in mind that we are developing Workplace Adjustment Plans, which are intended to serve as a formal mechanism for discussing, agreeing and communicating the range of specific support and adjustments required by disabled staff. The primary purposes of these Plans are to:
- ensure all parties have a clear record of the agreed adjustments;
- reduce the need to reassess adjustments as a result of changes to an employee’s job or line manager.
We are currently piloting the use of these Plans with several departments across the University, with a view to rolling them out more widely following further consultation from Spring 2023.
Template and guidance
You can download a copy of the Workplace Adjustment Plan draft template and accompanying guidance here. If you would like more information on the project, including finding out whether or not you are in one of the pilot departments, please contact the Staff Disability Advisor via staffdisability@admin.ox.ac.uk
