Access to Work

Nobody should be turned down for a job because meeting their access needs is too expensive. An applicant’s impairment is not a reason for turning them down for a job, or refusing to interview them.

Understanding what a disabled person needs to do their job is a vital part of meeting their access requirements and therefore getting financial help from Access to Work. A dialogue with the disabled employee and with Access to Work is vital to ensure that the adjustments you’re proposing are appropriate.

Training people who will work with the disabled employee can be an adjustment that Access to Work will help fund. You have a duty to ensure that the disabled person’s colleagues know how to work alongside them.

Some information you think you have to ask the disabled person for may be irrelevant. This may be for a number of reasons. Try and be clear why you’re asking a particular question: how does it relate to the disabled person’s access requirements, that is the adjustments they might need in order to do their job, rather than their medical condition.

Help with assessing a disabled employee’s needs, with identifying appropriate support and with getting hold of equipment can also be provided by Access to Work.

Equal treatment of disabled people is a duty under the Disability Discrimination Act. Access to Work can help you meet that duty.

Lots of disabled people want to work. Access to Work can help you to realise the benefits of employing them.

Lots of organisations think it will be expensive to employ a disabled person; Access to Work means that this need not be the case.