Covid-19 Disabled People in the Workplace 2021-05-26
2021-05-26
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
▸
Context
The question arises from concerns over the impact of the pandemic on disabled workers, particularly regarding employer support and reasonable adjustments.
What steps she is taking to support disabled people in the workplace during the covid-19 outbreak. According to statistics, 11% of employers furloughed a disabled employee at the beginning of the pandemic after failing to provide reasonable adjustments. Disabled workers have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and continue to face challenges due to lack of access to reasonable adjustments.
Over the past year, there have been 2,500 more Disability Confident employers, a much more flexible system and greater extended support through Access to Work going forward. There are greater numbers of Disability Confident employers and Access to Work has been adapted during covid to help the disabled, with greater online assistance, extended timeframes, flexibility, mental health support and much, much more.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Introducing mandatory timescales for employer-implementation of reasonable adjustments and ending the Access to Work payment cap
As I Outlined Earlier
About Which I Will Get The Minister For Disabled People, Health And Work, My Hon. Friend The Member For North Swindon (Justin Tomlinson), To Write In Specific Detail
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
▸
Context
The question arises from concerns over the impact of the pandemic on disabled workers, particularly regarding employer support and reasonable adjustments.
According to the Business Disability Forum, 11% of employers furloughed a disabled employee at the beginning of the pandemic after failing to provide reasonable adjustments. Disabled people have already been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, but it is clear that disabled workers are continuing to be forced out of employment through a lack of access to reasonable adjustments. Will the Government introduce mandatory timescales for employer-implementation of reasonable adjustments and end the Access to Work payment cap to prevent the disability employment gap from widening further?
Over the past year, there have been 2,500 more Disability Confident employers, a much more flexible system and greater extended support through Access to Work going forward. There are greater numbers of Disability Confident employers and Access to Work has been adapted during covid to help the disabled, with greater online assistance, extended timeframes, flexibility, mental health support and much, much more.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Introducing mandatory timescales for employer-implementation of reasonable adjustments and ending the Access to Work payment cap
As I Outlined Earlier
About Which I Will Get The Minister For Disabled People, Health And Work, My Hon. Friend The Member For North Swindon (Justin Tomlinson), To Write In Specific Detail
Response accuracy