Disabled Employees

The Equality Act 2010 defines someone as disabled if the following applies:

• they have a 'physical or mental impairment' and;
• the impairment 'has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities'

• Some conditions are protected from the point of diagnosis (a person would be entitled to the same level of support and protection under the Equality Act), including cancer, HIV or multiple sclerosis (MS).
• Progressive health conditions, which are conditions that have effects which increase in severity over time, are protected as soon as they start to have an effect on day-to-day activities where this is likely to be long term. Types of progressive conditions to which the provisions apply include various types of dementia and motor neurone disease.
• Where an impairment consists of having a severe disfigurement, it is to be treated as having a substantial adverse effect on the individual’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. There is no requirement for an individual to demonstrate an effect. Examples of disfigurements include limb or postural deformation or diseases of the skin.

Neurodiversity

• Forms of Neurodivergence, including ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia, will often amount to a disability under the Equality Act, even if the individual does not consider themselves to be disabled. Neurodiversity describes the natural differences in how people’s brains behave and process information. Neurodiversity refers to the fact that we all think, learn and act differently, as well as having different strengths and things we find challenging. Further support and understanding surrounding forms of Neurodivergence can be found on our Neurodiversity Colleague Wellbeing web pages.

Mental Health Conditions

• Some mental health conditions or illnesses which have a long-term effect will also be covered by the Equality Act. Mental health includes emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how someone thinks, feels and behaves.  Mental health problems can happen suddenly, because of a specific event in someone's life, build up gradually over time, be hard to spot because everyone has different signs and signals, be hidden because many people find it difficult to talk about their mental health, and will fluctuate over time, which means that an individual’s ability to cope with the demands of the job might change.
• Not all mental health issues will meet the legal definition according to the Equality Act, however, managers should still offer support and explore whether simple changes to working arrangements or responsibilities could be enough to help an employee’s health and wellbeing, as well as a preventative measure.

Further Support

• Further guidance on matters to be taken into account in determining questions relating to the definition of disability can be found via Equality Act 2010: Guidance relating to the definition of disability.
• The University has a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to provide reasonable adjustments to disabled employees to ensure they are not disadvantaged within the workplace compared to non-disabled employees.

“Reasonable adjustments” is the term used most commonly in UK law to refer to accommodations made for disabled people. Occupational Health has more about reasonable adjustments, including examples of reasonable adjustments. If you need funding for reasonable adjustments, this is available through your team and the Access to Work scheme.

The University aims for Universal Design, where our practices are designed to be accessible as default. This could mean, for example:

• Making sure that public meetings are in wheelchair accessible rooms
• Ensuring documents are screen reader compatible
• Avoiding loud, over stimulating environments. This can disadvantage people with sensory impairments as well as many neurodivergent people
• Asking how people like to get information and matching how you communicate with them to match what works best for them
• Making sure equipment and work spaces are accessible
• Ensuring interview tests and assessments are accessible
• Getting into the habit of asking whether reasonable adjustments will be needed

The University of Exeter aims to create an inclusive and supportive environment where staff and students feel comfortable disclosing a disability or condition without worrying about stigma or discrimination.

For staff there are two considerations when disclosing a disability.

1. Disclosing a disability to access support and reasonable adjustments.
2. Disclosing a disability for equality monitoring and policy development.

These two elements are completely separate. Information is held separately and managed differently. We would strongly encourage you to consider doing both in order to access appropriate support and to provide information used for strategic planning to support all disabled staff.

Disclosing a disability to access support

If you wish to disclose your disability to obtain support this can be done in a confidential conversation with your line manager. They are responsible for providing support and implementing reasonable adjustments as needed. They may make a referral to Occupational Health.

For further information and support talk to your Line Manager or the Occupational Health Team.

The Working with Disability webpages has useful information.

Disclosing a disability for equality monitoring

To provide important information to help shape policy and practice and for equality monitoring please use iTRENT to record a disability or condition. This information will not be shared with your Line Manager and is confidential. 

You can declare a disability confidentially on your iTRENT profile. Here is how. 

• Log into Trent Self Service staff.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_ess/ess/
• Click on 'Personal Details' and then click on 'Sensitive Information'
• Here you can provide more information about your disability

Disclosing a Disability at Recruitment

You can also disclose a disability when applying for jobs. The University is a Disability Confident Employer and whenever doing so is reasonably practical we offer a guaranteed interview for disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements for a job. We can also offer reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.

The University has a number of networks and groups for disabled staff members including:

• The Streatham and St Lukes based Disabled and Chronically Ill Network
• The Cornwall Disability Network
• A Neurodiversity Cafe

These networks provide a space for staff to meet and feed back on issues with peers who have experienced similar issues.

The University has a number of policies to support Disabled Employees including:

• Section in the Sickness Absence Procedure on Disabilities and Reasonable Adjustments
• Tailored Adjustment Plans
• Disability Leave

• Access to Work

• Brandon Trust

• Business Disability Forum

• Mind

• Time to Change