Blue badge parking been allocated

moneysaver12

Hi I’m looking for some advice please.  I have a blue badge.  Where I work there is 4 blue badge parking spaces.  It used to be anyone with a blue badge who works where I work can park there.  Just recently all four spaces have been allocated to named staff members.  This now means I can no longer use the disabled spaces on two of my working days.  On my other working day,  there is only one space available for 4 of us.   There is little chance of been able to park in the few short stay spaces as people stay longer than they are meant to.  I’m in constant pain,  struggle to walk far and now worried how I’m going to be able to go in the office when I need to.  

Brie

Is there other parking nearby that would be suitable?  I would suggest that your employer needs to reassess their parking situation and provide more "blue" spaces.  These would be considered part of reasonable adjustments that allow you to continue to work on par with your colleagues.  

And frankly it makes no sense that there are 4 spaces some days and only 1 on others.  This sounds like a case of executives trumping blue badge holders which is, if not illegal, completely out of line.  

Do you have a union that could help you with your case?  Potentially they are forcing you out of working which could lead you having to take them to a tribunal for unlawful dismissal.  And from what you've said they wouldn't have much of a case as opposed to yours.  

DE_612183

Have you spoken to your HR department?

There is no statutory requirement to make provision for a disabled parking space, but you could argue that if one is being taken away you are being discriminated against.

Do you want to work in the office - or are you happy to work from home full time?

LightFlare

Brie said:

Is there other parking nearby that would be suitable?  I would suggest that your employer needs to reassess their parking situation and provide more "blue" spaces.  These would be considered part of reasonable adjustments that allow you to continue to work on par with your colleagues.  

And frankly it makes no sense that there are 4 spaces some days and only 1 on others.  This sounds like a case of executives trumping blue badge holders which is, if not illegal, completely out of line.  

Do you have a union that could help you with your case?  Potentially they are forcing you out of working which could lead you having to take them to a tribunal for unlawful dismissal.  And from what you've said they wouldn't have much of a case as opposed to yours.  

I read it as people not always working on the same days 

Car_54

This may be seen as a breach of the Equality Act 2010, specifically s20(4):  "... a requirement, where a physical feature puts a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage in relation to a relevant matter in comparison with persons who are not disabled, to take such steps as it is reasonable to have to take to avoid the disadvantage."

The government's guidance on this says "Employees should talk to their employer first to try and sort out the problem informally." https://www.gov.uk/discrimination-your-rights/what-you-can-do

moneysaver12

Hi thank you for your replies.  I can do some work from home but as I also see people,  I do need to see some at the office every week as some don’t like been seen at home.   The car park nearby gets full quickly and one entrance that would have meant less walking has been closed off,  not sure when it will reopen

m0bov

Sounds like you need to met with your HR rep and raise your complaint.

user1977

This is an employment dispute rather than a motoring one, so probably better on another board.

Bigphil1474

Speak to your union rep if you are a member. If not, use the employers internal grievance procedure. As Car 54 says, it will be an Equality Act issue. Your employer is discriminating against you. They should either have provided all blue badge holders a named space or provided sufficient spaces for all Blue Badge holders to use one when at work.

I dealt with a similar issue where I work. there was only 1 staff access space and 2 employees who needed to park near the office. They changed a non-access space to an access space and made sure none of the top managers or ignoramuses used the spaces and everyone was happy for the sake of a couple of quid of paint and a sign.