Reasonable adjustments

Lindylou62

I work as a IT manager in a gp surgery. I've got MS, which was diagnosed a year ago. Last week, I asked my manager if some of the more minor duties of my job could be allocated to someone else. This was refused out right. I feel that my energies would be better concentrated on the major parts of my job rather than running up and down stairs to deal with someone's jammed printer. I didn't mention 'reasonable adjustments' at the time. Would this be classed as a reasonable adjustment?

In the past year I've asked for somewhere quieter to work, refused, somewhere quiet to have a break, nothing done. But, we're just undergoing a partnership change with new managers etc. and I'm not sure if this is the time to rock the boat or just wait for a bit to see how things work out over the next few months. One of the new managers is a HR expert so maybe I would be better off waiting a bit? My practice manager is the sort of person who said 'that will be difficult' when I needed time off last year with a relapse so you can see the sort of person I'm dealing with!
Thanks for any advice

dori2o

Lindylou62 wrote: »

I work as a IT manager in a gp surgery. I've got MS, which was diagnosed a year ago. Last week, I asked my manager if some of the more minor duties of my job could be allocated to someone else. This was refused out right. I feel that my energies would be better concentrated on the major parts of my job rather than running up and down stairs to deal with someone's jammed printer. I didn't mention 'reasonable adjustments' at the time. Would this be classed as a reasonable adjustment?

In the past year I've asked for somewhere quieter to work, refused, somewhere quiet to have a break, nothing done. But, we're just undergoing a partnership change with new managers etc. and I'm not sure if this is the time to rock the boat or just wait for a bit to see how things work out over the next few months. One of the new managers is a HR expert so maybe I would be better off waiting a bit? My practice manager is the sort of person who said 'that will be difficult' when I needed time off last year with a relapse so you can see the sort of person I'm dealing with!
Thanks for any advice

Despite my own reluctance to use them in the past, the Access to Work team at the local jopbcentre would IMO be your first point of contact.

They can come into your workplace and discuss adjustments with your employer. They can also do a workplace assessment with you.

You employer had a duty to provide reasonable adjustments and cannot dismiss them out of hand, they must provide an explanation as to why they are not reasonable.

Are you in a Union? If so speak to them.

GDVS

Lindylou62 wrote: »

I work as a IT manager in a gp surgery. I've got MS, which was diagnosed a year ago. Last week, I asked my manager if some of the more minor duties of my job could be allocated to someone else. This was refused out right. I feel that my energies would be better concentrated on the major parts of my job rather than running up and down stairs to deal with someone's jammed printer. I didn't mention 'reasonable adjustments' at the time. Would this be classed as a reasonable adjustment?

Normally, yes. However if you're the only IT staff it becomes a little more difficult as there's potentially nobody else with the necessary skillset and employing an additional staff member to assist would not normally be considered a reasonable adjustment.

Savvy_Sue

GDVS wrote: »

Normally, yes. However if you're the only IT staff it becomes a little more difficult as there's potentially nobody else with the necessary skillset and employing an additional staff member to assist would not normally be considered a reasonable adjustment.

Teaching someone else how to deal with a jammed printer wouldn't be rocket science though, would it? I tend to be asked to change all printer cartridges, look at all poor quality prints, sort out all crackly telephones, and generally do a lot of 'stuff' which I've worked out how to do by having a go!!! No-one else is prepared to 'have a go'!

Another thought might be a stair lift, if physically going up and down stairs is tricky?

Brassedoff

dori2o wrote: »

Despite my own reluctance to use them in the past, the Access to Work team at the local jopbcentre would IMO be your first point of contact.

They can come into your workplace and discuss adjustments with your employer. They can also do a workplace assessment with you.

You employer had a duty to provide reasonable adjustments and cannot dismiss them out of hand, they must provide an explanation as to why they are not reasonable.

Are you in a Union? If so speak to them.

Ah, as an employer I would trump that by saying that it is an intrinsic role within the job. As for other requests, doing IT assists are also a role that is not in an area that is not a quiet one.

As for reasonable or being required to produce an explanation as to why its not reasonable, there's the ways and means act. I would not be too enamoured with an employee taking this route.

However, if someone sat down with me and ran through their problems, I would be more likely to assist. I have done this in the past, yet if someone who I employed wanted to start costing large sums without running their problems past me first, they would not be in a job for too long.

I would suggest the OP makes a welfare appointment with the highest level manager in their organisation, don't do it with the first line manager as they may not know the rules they have to follow.

Take or leave my advice, but I employ(ed) many people in the past and present.

pmlindyloo

This may be of some use:

http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/equality/disability_equality_toolkit/understanding_reasonable_adjustments.cfm

MissJoJo_2

An employer has to provide reasonable adjustments by law under the Disability discrimination act 2010 -google it. -sorry I can't post any links as a new user

Your employer must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for you so that you’re not disadvantaged compared to non-disabled people.

This could include:
a phased return to work – eg working flexible hours or part-time
time off for medical treatment or counselling
giving another employee tasks you can’t easily do
providing practical aids and technical equipment for you
-Time off from work should not be recorded as an ‘absence from work’ if you’re waiting for your employer to put reasonable adjustments in place.



I have a link to a really good document on my PC - I will put a link to that too.
I have ME, and my employer argued that if I took more breaks than my colleagues 'they would want to as well'! he said he couldn't treat me differently - however under the act this is described as positive discrimination - that if I didn't take an extra break I would be at a disadvantage in comparison to my colleagues. You could get a fit note from your GP recommending reduced hours or altered duties - if you ended up not being able to work because your employer had failed to make those reasonable adjustments you would have a strong case against them.You could ask to see an occupational therapist who would advise such matters.
Access to work aren't much use but worth a go. I got funding in my workplace for a member of staff paid for by ATW- 6 hours per week to help me with tasks I have problems with, but we had to fight for it.

Good luck

MissJoJo_2

Oh and in addition - if you are absent due MS the absence should be recorded separately. It is reasonable for you not to be subject to the same absence policy as your colleagues, in my case the Bradford score system.

Raksha

How long have you worked for the employer?

kurgon

MissJoJo wrote: »

Oh and in addition - if you are absent due MS the absence should be recorded separately. It is reasonable for you not to be subject to the same absence policy as your colleagues, in my case the Bradford score system.

This is not accurate. Only pregnancy realted sickness is protected under law. Sickness due to disability is still being debated by the tuc. While some employers do offer it, many do not, especially many organisations within the NHS.

Takeaway_Addict

kurgon wrote: »

This is not accurate. Only pregnancy realted sickness is protected under law. Sickness due to disability is still being debated by the tuc. While some employers do offer it, many do not, especially many organisations within the NHS.

Quite, it can be deemed a reasonable adjustment or they could increase the levels of sickness before procedures kick in. They do not necessarily have to accept it as separate carte blanche