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Reasonable
adjustments
disability
passports
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SECTION 2
A policy for model reasonable adjustments
disability passports
1. Introduction
This policy represents an agreement between:
[ ] ‘the Employer’ and
[ ] ‘the Union’
that was reached on [xx/xx/xxxx]
The policy covers the agreed approach of the employer towards staff, and potential
members of staff, who are disabled, who believe that they may be disabled or
become disabled. The scope of this policy covers conditions including, but not
limited to: physical disability, sensory impairment, mental health conditions,
and neurodiversity.
2. Principles
Both parties to this agreement believe that:
a. All workers deserve the opportunity to realise their full potential.
b. All reasonable steps must be taken to ensure that policies, practices and culture do
not discriminate against disabled people.
Both parties recognise that:
c. Some disabled people may not have a formal diagnosis or assessment, and that
a lack of diagnostic support can be a barrier in the workplace for both workers
and employers.
d. Disabled people face discrimination and stigma in wider society, and they may be
unwilling to disclose a diagnosis.
e. Each person is unique and that there can be a high degree of overlap between
multiple conditions. Consequently any support needs must be identified and
implemented on the basis of personal evaluation and individual need.
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The employer commits to:
f. Proactively work to eliminate barriers (including prejudice) that disabled people
face in the workplace.
g. Raise awareness of the full range of disabilities including those that are
often overlooked, for example: mental health conditions, dyslexia or other
neurodivergent conditions.
h. Consider changes made in response to requests.
i. Take immediate steps to eliminate potentially discriminatory practices in
employment that can arise throughout the course of normal day-to-day
workplace activities.
j. Ensuring workers know they have the right to be accompanied by their union rep in
discussions about the passport.
k. Support paid release for union reps, including union equality reps and disability
champions, to attend union education courses on reasonable adjustment
disability passports.
l. Promote the reasonable adjustment passports to all staff.
The reasonable adjustments disability passport is designed to provide a documented
record of an individual’s needs, which will allow them to function to their full potential
in a supportive and encouraging environment.
A worker may require reasonable adjustments to remove workplace barriers because
of environmental, attitudinal or organisational issues. These barriers prevent disabled
people from equal participation in the workplace including people with sensory
impairments, mental health conditions, long-term injury or neurodivergent conditions.
Whenever a worker moves roles or changes line manager a reasonable adjustments
disability passport can be used to ensure that new managers are aware of required
adjustments or information relating to an individual’s requirements without the need
to repeat potentially difficult conversations and situations.
Completion of the reasonable adjustments disability passport is voluntary, but it
should be offered to every worker.
The worker’s reasonable adjustments disability passport will be ‘owned’ by the
worker; they will decide who has a copy or can see it, although a signed copy of the
passport should be held by both the worker and their manager, and, if appropriate,
by HR.
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It is also usual practice for the worker to consent to their new line manager accessing
their passport.
The passport may be reviewed at the worker’s request to ensure that any adjustments
remain the right ones to support the worker to fulfil their work potential.
A worker may initiate an earlier review of the passport if:
› their disability or health condition changes
› their personal circumstances change
› their job requirements change
› they change post
› there is a change to the working environment.
Awareness of the passport is important. A passport should be available to all
workers at any time during their employment and can be requested by the worker or
proactively offered by the employer.
Stigma and fear of discrimination may deter workers from disclosing their health
or other conditions so it is important that employers provide an open and
supportive environment in which workers will be treated with sensitivity, respect
and confidentiality.
3. The Equality Act 2010 and reasonable adjustments
The Equality Act 2010 states that a person is disabled if they have a physical or
mental impairment which has a substantially adverse and long-term effect on their
ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. It stipulates that employers must
make reasonable adjustments to ensure disabled workers are not disadvantaged
and take steps to remove, reduce or prevent obstacles a disabled worker or job
applicant faces.
Reasonable adjustments should always be tailored to the individual’s needs and the
barriers faced. Adjustments may comprise one or more measures to enable to the
worker to do their job to the best of their ability.
All requests for reasonable adjustments will be fully considered by the employer and
responded to within an agreed time.
If the employer refuses a request for an adjustment written reasons must be given
within [xx] days.