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Reasonable adjustments

TheJay

Hello there,

I work from home following an occupational health assessment and have today been diagnosed with ASD. 

Who is responsible for funding earphones to minimise disruption for any instances I have to go into the office to block out all my triggers and help me to concentrate? It was a recommendation in my occupational health report, which was requested and paid for by my employer.

  • Hello! I also work from home following an OH assessment, and I was also recommended noise cancelling headphones which I wear most of the time at work (both at home and if I need to visit the office). As others have said it's your employer's responsibility. I would expect them to be able to afford the headphones as they paid for the OH assessment, however, if they deem the headphones as not 'reasonable' due to cost then you can apply to Access to Work to cover the cost. However if you are a civil servant some departments can no longer use Access to Work. Best of luck.

  • The law says that an employer must make adjustments to any criterion, provision or practice that places you at a significant disadvantage when compared to a person without the impact of the index condition.  What that means in English is that your employer must make changes to prevent you being treated less favourably than someone without autism.

    The definition of what is reasonable is what is reasonable in all of the circumstances - which is not a terribly helpful definition.  I would make several suggestions in this scenario:

    1. Join a trade union.  They are a considerable source of support and will have specialist reps who can help you to source the adjustments you need (I was a senior union rep for many years and cannot emphasise enough how important it is for anyone on the spectrum to have union support).

    2. Write to your manager asking them to provide the earphones you require as a reasonable adjutment.  If you are in a union, your union can do this for you.

    3. I would consider acontacting Remploy who may be able to source additional support for both you and your employer.  Visit https://www.remploy.co.uk/ 

    4. It may be worth asking for an autism workplace assessment - your employer should pay for this, but you may be able to secure funding for such an assessment or for specialist equipment through access to work: https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work.

    I hope that helps.

  • You can request them from your employer as a reasonable adjustment, especially if they were in the OH report, but employers don’t have to provide anything, I was lucky and mine did pay for headphones for me but I don’t think it’s the case for everyone