My work role has changed and I now find that my disability needs are different.

Who do I need to contact to discuss the needs of my new role?

You should discuss your change in needs resulting from your new role with your line manager, or if this is not possible, your HR Business Partner will be able to advise you.

Will the change of my needs impact on my prospect for promotion

Your personal change in needs will result in no detrimental impact on your promotion.

The University is committed to ensuring that the process of recruitment and selection is fair, systematic, efficient and effective, ensuring equality of opportunity and proactively seeks to avoid unfair bias in its processes

Reasonable adjustments will be made to all stages of the recruitment process, including promotions, as required.

What happens if I find difficulties within my new role that weren’t initially identified?

The best thing to do is to speak with your line manager and discuss the difficulties that you are now facing.  If you are unable to do this, or feel uncomfortable approaching them to discuss, please contact your HR Business Partner or Advisor who will be able to assist.

What reasonable adjustments can be made?

Some examples of reasonable adjustments include the following:

Doing things in another way

• Allowing an employee with social anxiety to have their own desk instead of hot-desking
• Providing minutes and papers in advance of meetings for visually impaired employees, in a suitable format for the relevant screen reader.

Making physical changes to the workplace

• Structural or other physical changes such as widening a doorway, providing a ramp or moving furniture for a wheelchair user
• relocation of light switches, door handles, or shelves for someone who has difficulty in reaching
• providing appropriate contrast in decor to help the safe mobility of a visually impaired employee
• Taking steps to reduce noise or adjust lighting (e.g. installing barriers/boards).

Changing equipment

• Providing a modified keyboard if an employee has arthritis of the hand or purchasing assistive software like voice recognition software
• A large screen for a visually impaired employees or an adapted telephone for an employee with a hearing impairment.

Access to information:

• Ensuring the availability and use of appropriate ways to give and receive information such as being able to provide job descriptions in alternative media
• Accepting job applications in typescript rather than handwriting
• Modifying instructions or reference manuals.

Changes to working patterns, hours or ways of working

• Agreement to change start and finish times
• Have longer or more frequent break times
• Regular or occasional working from home where possible through flexible working to attend appointments or therapies to help manage their condition
• Changing working hours to allow easier travel to work

Providing training for colleagues 

• Providing colleagues with deaf/hearing impairment awareness training in conducting meetings in a way that enables a hearing-impaired employee to participate effectively.

Providing support in the workplace

• Assigning an office buddy to someone on the Autism spectrum to explain office culture and norms.
• Access to Work may agree to pay for ongoing one-to-one support for hearing or vision impaired staff. This might include a British Sign Language Interpreter or a note-taker.

Offering employees relevant recreation and refreshment facilities

• Providing a dedicated quiet space for an autistic employee who experiences sensory overload.

Changes to the recruitment process

• Modifying procedures for testing or assessment as part of the interview process, such as allowing oral rather than written submission.

Who will pay for the changes that I need?

The University will cover the cost for the reasonable adjustments, unless the access is for more specialist support or training.  In these instances, Access To Work may provide financial support.