GUIDANCE TO JOB APPLICANTS ON DISABILITY

Do you think that you have a physical, sensory or mental impairment or condition, which seriously affects your day-to-day life and is long-term (ie lasting, or likely to last, one year or longer)?

• This may be something for which you are taking medication, or
• It could be a previous long-term condition, from which you have now fully recovered.

Here are some examples to help you decide if you have a long-term impairment or condition, which seriously affects your day-to-day life.

• Hearing or visual impairment
  Not including general short or long-sightedness
  
  
• Co-ordination, dexterity or mobility
  e.g. polio, spinal cord injury, back problems, repetitive strain injury
  
  
• Mental Health
  e.g. depression, severe phobias, schizophrenia
  
  
• Speech impairment
  e.g. stammering
  
  
• Learning disabilities
  e.g. dyslexia
  
  
• Other physical or medical conditions
  e.g. arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular conditions, cancer, diabetes, dyslexia, epilepsy, facial disfigurement, heart disease, haemophilia, HIV.

Why do we need to know about this?

We have made a commitment in our equality and diversity policy to respect every individual employee, which means treating them with dignity and valuing their diversity, and emanating all forms of discrimination in employment, including on grounds of race, gender, caring responsibilities, disability, gender re-assignment, age, social class, sexual orientation and religion or belief.

We cannot check how successful we are in meeting this commitment without access to specific information about our employees.

Why is it important for me to declare this?

We want to ensure that all our employees are able to work in an environment where they feel comfortable and free from any potential prejudice or stigmatisation.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 describes a disability as anyone with a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial, adverse and long-term effect on his or her day-to-day activities. We will look at each individual situation on its merit, responding to employees according to their needs, as well as complying with the law.

Where and employee has a condition that seriously affects their day-to-day life, we will discuss and consider any reasonable adjustments with them, which may result in a change in their working practice or circumstances. Examples could be when an employee has a period of sickness absence, which is directly associated with their condition, or where an employee cannot work effectively unless reasonable adjustments are made to their working pattern.

What do I do now?

We would like you to voluntarily self-declare if you consider yourself to have, or have had, an impairment or condition.

Where will this information be held?

This information will be entered onto your personal record and the information will have restricted confidential access to designated staff.