Positive Declarations

If you make a disclosure at work then you are entitled to ask for reasonable adjustments. These are changes that an employer makes to get rid of, or reduce, disadvantages in the work place which might be caused by someone’s disability.

A reasonable adjustment may result in:

• changes to the working environment
• changes to an individual’s work arrangements
• finding other ways to do something
• providing equipment, support, or services.

Reasonable adjustments are unique to the individual, and therefore 2 people with the same condition may have very different adjustments in place depending on what works for them.

An Employer must make reasonable adjustment if:

• they know, or could reasonably be expected to know, someone is disabled (including allowing assistance dogs)
• a disabled staff member or job applicant asks for adjustments
• someone who’s disabled is having difficulty with any part of their job
• someone’s absence record, sickness record or delay in returning to work is because of, or linked to, their disability.

Whilst an employer has a legal duty to ensure reasonable adjustments are put into place where possible, there are some cases where it may not be. For example, if someone working in a call centre does not like being on the phone, but there is no other role for them to do, then there may be no reasonable adjustment that can actually be put into place to allow them to continue with their job.

The majority of employers are very open to putting reasonable adjustments in place. It’s always good for you to have an idea of what might be useful for you though when beginning conversations, so you can discuss ideas.

Here are some examples of what reasonable adjustments you might find useful. Please not this list is not exhaustive and is only designed to give prompts and ideas.