Reasonable adjustment request, when?

[healp]

I have applied for a temporary role, it’s just a retail job covering maternity leave. I want to ask for reasonable adjustment but when do you do that? Is it at interview stage (I feel like that might affect my chances) or when (if) the job is offered?

It depends on when you need the adjustment and how reasonable it is for them. Can you tell us what the adjustment is or whether you would need it for an interview/work trial?

Thanks, I wouldn’t need any adjustments for interview and I don’t think a trial is on the cards for a retail store. I think I should just ask at interview because if they dint give me the adjustment I would not take the job but I don’t want to ruin my chances by coming across as demanding in interview

How reasonable an adjustment is it in terms of the role? Non customer facing in a sales assistant role would be impossible as would not lifting in a warehouse/shelf filling role. Occasional extra breaks maybe. Specific seat at the till probably.

I don’t think it matters what the adjustment is. I’m not asking if they will agree to it, I’m asking when is the best time to raise it.

Definitely raise it in interview because for all you know, they may not consider it reasonable or doable.

Isn’t that the kind of thing that occupational health have to advise rather than you just requesting it? In which case you wait until you are offered and have occupational health checks pre appointment before raising it. If it’s a reasonable adjustment for a disability then you don’t mention it at interview.

The nature of reasonable adjustment will determine when you ask for it.

I think it depends on how much impact it will have on the role.

I'd bee very, very tempted to wait until they offer it tho.

In what way please?

I don’t think OH would be involved at all here. Is that usual for a retail shop floor role?

Ask for it post job offer, if they decline you can always say sorry but then you can’t do the job. You will know whether they are declining on legitimate grounds or not and could maybe have a case for disability discrimination if they decline without.

Some companies will insist on OH input regarding reasonable adjustments. Did you declare a disability on your application form?

I would make the request after a job offer.

Everyone is entitled to request a reasonable adjustment. The employer then decide if it is reasonable in the role, or if it cannot be accommodated.

If they can’t accommodate it, then it’s not a suitable position for you and keep going with the job search.

I would raise it at the job offer stage.

If you raise it at interview and you're unsuccessful you will never know if it is related to your request or your performance at interview. And no point disclosing your personal health needs if you don't know if they'll offer you the job anyway

Where I work an adjustment that doesn't impact on anyone else, the overall productivity of the place or the bottom line would be given automatically eg needing a seat at the checkout. But anything that makes an impact on anything else would be through OH eg a differing split of duties where you do more of one thing and so someone else has more of another to do or extended breaks etc.

If the adjustment was reasonable and affordable I don't think they'd need OH, especially for a temp position. In my experience by the time the OH has come back the temp period they needed cover for will have been and gone!

Once you’re offered the role

If it's related to your health then once you're offered the role.

If it's eg a change of hour then you could ask about the flexibility at the interview.

I wouldn’t be interested in a case. It’s just a wee part time job and if I don’t get it I’m not too bothered but I do want to give myself the best chance all the same

Yes I have already acknowledged that without the adjustment I wouldnt want the job anyway. I guess I just don’t want to be wasting anyone’s time if it turns out I wouldn’t be able to take it so wondered about asking at interview. I think I’m going to hold off and see what happens, they might not even offer it to me anyway.

Get the offer in writing and accept alongside the request for the adjustment in writing.

No adjustment - no job.

As a disabled worker, for me it would depend on

• how much effort the adjustment would take
• whether they would need advice about it
• whether they would need to re-organise anything to do it

If it's something they don't really need to do anything about and is simple to understand like you need to pop for a wee a bit more often than usual, well that shouldn't be difficult and they should be able to just let you go. If it's something they need to organise that might not be possible, then you should mention it at intervies.