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Reasonable adjustments

CFen

I was recently diagnosed with ASD - I am a 30 year old female and work full time in a finance role.

I have asked my employer for reasonable adjustments and HR have advised me that they wouldn't consider anything until I present a report from an expert which identifies what RAs may be beneficial for me. Apparently this is usual procedure, but I don't have anything like this, and I'm not sure if I can obtain it. Has anyone been told anything similar, or know what the law says on this?

Thanks

  • in reply to Invisiblewoman
    Invisiblewoman said:
    can provide a grant that will pay for equipment like noise cancelling headphones

    I didn't know this when I bought my own! Then again, that was before I got my formal DX so it wouldn't have worked when I needed them initially.

  • Definitely get in touch with Access to Work. They will do an assessment (I wasn't overly impressed with mine, but it didn't affect the outcome too much) and can provide a grant that will pay for equipment like noise cancelling headphones, and also things like disability awareness training for your workplace and coaching for you. They can also make recommendations for reasonable adjustments that don't have a cost, such as flexible working. That might solve all of the issues you are having.

    If your employer is insisting on a report before making adjustments (I don't think that they should, by the way, and I don't think it's standard practice) then I think they should be paying for that. They can pay for an company like Genius Within to do a specialist assessment, or they could buy in an occupational health assessment if they don't have their own occupational health services. ACAS are very helpful so it's worth calling them to see what they say. I would read up on the relevant bits on their website about disability and reasonable adjustments before calling.

  • You could get access to work to come in and do a workplace assessment as another possibility. You can organise this yourself and it does not cost your workplace anything. Basically your workplace have to do anything they recommend! I found it very handy in a similar situation to you.

  • in reply to CFen

    I went private and got a letter and a report (including all the results from the ADOS test and AQ form etc.

    But both the letter and report had "recommendations" but looking at my letter it says

    • "It is important to note that ASC is a recognised disability under the Equality Act (2010) and as such 'Reasonable Adjustments' should be made in any workplace or educational setting. These adjustments should be negotiated with employers and tailored to the needs of the individual (for example, if someone finds social interaction extremely stressful and effortful a reasonable adjustment might be permission to miss or take a break during long business meetings)."
  • in reply to JohnS

    I didn't get a diagnosis report, just a letter. Were you just given a report or did you have to request it? I suppose it differs by NHS trust

  • in reply to mouse2

    Yes I requested specific adjustments, including having a regular work from home day and not being expected to work from our second office (I've been asked to work there one day a week but don't have my own desk there).

    We dont have occ health unfortunately.

  • I presented my diagnosis report to our occupational health. The only reasonable adjustment given in my report was to take regular breaks during long meetings (or avoid them all together).

    Occupational health added some others ie Only be given one task at a time. Be given clear written instructions. Communication via email or Jabba (internal online chat). Finally, take regular breaks.

    I also wear noise cancelling headphones :) 

  • Did you request specific adjustments? I'd agree with the replies that occupational health would help. 

  • agree - an occ health assessment is precisely about identifying what RAs might be beneficial. 

  • Do you have an Occ Health department? Someone there would be able to agree what would be beneficial. Otherwise whilst that might be the HR department's policy, the law simply says that if you ask for an adjustment and it is "reasonable" (and not having the adjustment puts you at a substantial disadvantage) then your employer has to provide it. "Reasonable" means that you can't ask for e.g. a whole new office building to be built for you, but you can ask for things like extra breaks after meetings, somewhere quiet to work, flexibility, some home working etc. There's nothing in the law that says that the "ask" has to come from an "expert" (how are they defining "expert" by the way?).

    https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/discrimination-at-work/taking-action/asking-your-employer-for-changes-to-help-if-youre-disabled/

    Although the link above mentions experts (e.g. GP) this is only in the context of proving that your employer should have been aware of your needs if you need to fight for your rights. All you have to do in the first instance is ask.

    This is just my understanding by the way as someone who has been through it successfully - I'm not a legal expert.