Disability Discrimination Act
From 1 October last year, it became illegal for an employer to discriminate against a disabled person because of their disability. Before October, the law only applied to employers with 15 staff or more - now it applies to organizations - private or not-for-profit - regardless of how many staff are employed. The new law prohibits discrimination against someone with a disability in the recruitment process, their terms and conditions of employment, in chances for promotion, transfer, training or other benefits and in a wide range of other ways.
There are clearly many types of disability and the law also covers people with severe disfigurements and 'hidden' disabilities such as dyslexia and epilepsy, depending upon the severity of the impairment.
The Government has followed this up by publishing its Disability Discrimination Bill, announced in the Queen's speech at the start of the current parliamentary session. The Bill proposes a number of amendments to the existing Disability Discrimination Act, and includes:
* a new positive duty on public bodies to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people
* protection for more people diagnosed with the progressive conditions of HIV, MS and cancer
* provisions to enable disabled people to get reasonable adjustments, other than to physical features, when dealing with landlords and managers of rented premises.
It is anticipated that the new Bill will bring around 175,000 additional people within the scope of the current Act every year.
The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) is an independent body which provides information to anyone with rights or obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act. Telephone 08457 622 633 or email: enquiry@drc-gb.org
Copyright Pavilion Publishing (Brighton) Ltd. Mar 2005
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