At work with MS What adjustments can be made?
Under the Equality Act employers have a duty to consider making 'reasonable adjustments' to make sure you are not put at substantial disadvantage by employment arrangements or physical features of the workplace.
What is reasonable is judged in terms of the resources available to the organisation needing to make the adjustments and any disruption to other people. Examples of the sort of adjustments your employer should consider, in consultation with you, are set out in the Equality Act and include:
- considering how the job is structured eg whether some of the work could be done from home, or could more demanding work be done at "better" times of the day/week
- being flexible about your hours, allowing you to have different core working hours, and incorporating more breaks into your day
- making adjustments to the buildings where you work, the furniture, equipment or tools that you use. This can be as simple as rearranging your workspace or, might include provision of a powered wheelchair at work, or improving access to the building. Access to Work can provide an assessment of appropriate changes and equipment and may be able to help with some of the costs of equipment and alterations
- allocatingsomeofyourworktosomeoneelseorusing Access to Work to pay a support worker to help with some tasks
- transferring you to another post or another place of work
- providing quipment to deal with practical and/or job related issues. Examples of this kind of adjustment are the provision of digital memo, portable air-conditioning and changes to computer equipment or software
"Learn about the Equality Act, the rights of the employee and the duties of the employer."
Other things to consider may be the temperature of the office and appropriate equipment or software to enhance your performance. You should play an active role in discussing these arrangements with your employer. It can be helpful to think about what they might ask or be worried about. You could go through your old job description and honestly assess what bits might be harder for you, and identify some potential solutions. It looks better if you show you have looked at the potential problems and have identified how to manage them.
"In my work it's OK for me to be in late and catch up at home."
Sometimes there can be a learning process for both the employer and the employee around what might be the best solution. There can be an expectation from employers that the person with MS will come with a definitive set of adaptations and this is not always the case.
"Ask for changes that will help you, a desk near the toilets, a quiet office."
Access to Work is a government funded scheme that gives you and your employer advice about adjustments that may be effective and support with extra costs which may arise because of your needs. It might pay towards equipment and can also pay towards the cost of getting to work if you cannot use public transport.
"Insist on your rights such as a parking space near the door."
"Make them see you are capable of the tasks as long as everyone understands your personal management strategies."
"You are the expert on your MS and you need to lead the way to resolve issues."
Be honest about what you can or can't do. Offer possible solutions eg a trade off. People respond better to 'I have a problem and a possible solution'."