7 months and still no adjustments to my workplace

[PoesyCherish]

I've posted several times about my workplace not putting in reasonable adjustments despite me going through access to work who will cover 100% of the costs (Just not upfront).

I had a meeting today with HR and it sounded very much like they were just attempting to cover their own arses.

I've always been upfront about my disability. I mentioned it at interview, was assured if I was successful it wouldn't be a problem. I approached HR about a week after I started and was assured they'd put reasonable adjustments in place.

Fast forward to now, 7 months later. My access to work grant was approved over a month ago with a list of equipment and suppliers which they feel I need to safely do my job. I thought I may actually be getting somewhere with the HR meeting today (previously felt like I was headbutting a wall with this!) But then it just turned into them justifying why they haven't done anything yet.

The list of equipment isn't extensive. It's things like a stand up desk, a supportive chair, ergonomic mouse and keyboard.

I can understand them holding off until the access to work approval came through for the desk and chair. But they could've bought a mouse and / or keyboard couldn't they?

I'm currently signed off sick because of the pain and am rapidly approaching one month off (if I haven't already gone past that, I'm losing track of the days!).

HR have said they may be able to buy the equipment but need approval from senior management. They have told me this process will take about 6 weeks. So it's looking likely I'll have had 2.5 months sick leave by the time this is all sorted!

AIBU to think it shouldn't take them 7 months to put something in place? But also to be super worried about how my sick record will look for any future employer?

Anyone?

agree it's crazy, hopefully sorted for you soon. future employers aren't allowed to ask about sickness until after job offer so hopefully won't affect you.

Research constructive dismissal with ACAS. Go back to hr and say they seem to be making it untenable for you to continue working. Throw some scary legal terms into the conversation and imply you have a lawyer. Scare them shitless that you will sue. See if they speed up the process. 6 weeks to so extreme for what you need it suggests they hope you will quit quietly. Make sure they know you won't.

And in future make sure you're a member of a union!

That’s crazy, this is why I buy equipment and claim back the money from a2w directly. It’s not ideal (I ended up waiting on 4K) but if you keep on top of it and send the claim form as soon as you’ve bought it then it should accrue any interest. If you buy it yourself there’s likely to be less aggro when you leave and want to take it with you.

As an aside, bear in mind a2w goes over and above the statatory minimum, your employer has a statutory duty to ensure you can safely do your job, not a2w.

Over the course of my career, I found most HR departments fairly useless. If they are not, it's usually an exception rather than the rule. If you want anything done, you need to chase them and make it happen. I agree that 7 months is a long time to get anything done but they literally wouldn't do anything unless chased.

Next time you contact them about this, I'd do the following:

• remind them that this is affecting your health
• copy in your occupational health rep and employee relations team
• ask them if you can buy the equipment yourself and claim the costs through expenses

HR teams are usually there to protect companies from its employees. Not the other way around as they like to tell everyone. So you need to protect your own rights and make things happen for yourself. In general, they know that when things go wrong, most employees never bother taking them to court. That's why they are rarely bothered about anything.

And of course 7 months is ridiculous - future employers can’t ask to see your sickness record before they offer you a job and arguably can’t take sick leave relating to your disability into account (not 100% that’s possible though).

ask them if you can buy the equipment yourself and claim the costs through expenses

She wouldn’t claim through expenses, she would claim directly through A2W. They have no problem with this - I’ve done it twice now.

HR are useless everywhere, it's practically a requirement of the job.
Yanbu, stupid amount of time to sort out a very simple issue.

this is why I buy equipment and claim back the money from a2w directly

Ooh I didn't know this was an option. Can I buy things myself and claim it back?

@letsgetreadytosamba Do you know if need permission from a2w to do this and if so, who I get permission from? I've tried phoning them and spoken to two different people and keep being passed back and forth as nobody knows if it's possible

Were you able to take the equipment with you when you left then?

My letter says "Employees should allow employees to take with them any equipment funded by A2W if your member of staff changes jobs" but when I asked my case worker to confirm that she said if the employer wants to dispute that (despite a2w paying 100% of the costs), then A2W won't get involved in that decision.

I agree that 7 months is a long time to get anything done but they literally wouldn't do anything unless chased

I have been chasing them almost every single day since the day I had my induction at the company.

Oops Employers should allow employees that should have said

Yes you can, I didn’t even ask the second time I did it. I just emailed my decision maker guy (I’ve forgotten what they’re called, the one who does all the question asking at the DWP’s end) and he said it was fine. I’ve found email easier because it’s always the same person who responds. You then just send the claim form with your own bank account details. My boss paid for a colleague’s and got it paid to her directly. Just make sure you do the claim form directly as otherwise you’ll be out of pocket waiting for the repayment.

They should let you take it with you, I haven’t had an issue but I would keep all original receipts for when you leave.

Thank you @letsgetreadytosamba your help is hugely appreciated! Do you know what happens to the equipment if you leave your job before getting another one?

I'm trying to get some equipment A2W have agreed to pay for for a member of staff who started in Sep.

It took a while for A2W to send the details of what they are recommending, then they send the actual specifications, prices and suppliers of what we should buy. Two of the items on the list are discontinued, so I'm waiting for their advice on what to buy that actually exists.

So, it's not necessarily all the employer's fault.

I did buy a mouse and wrist support that she requested before she started though.

Sorry to hear your HR department are being useless. Ours are utterly hopeless (although the individuals are lovely) so I know what that’s like!

I was wondering if it would be worth contacting the Health and Safety Executive for advice? If you have a look at the Display Screen Equipment Regulations there should be some info you could use. Good luck!

That’s probably a bit more tricky - my biggest piece of equipment has been a chair - I’ve literally put it in the back of my car and driven it in to each job (I got one through disabled studenstvallowance and used it for 5 years). If you’ve got a desk that’s tricky, I suspect if you don’t literally take it when you go you will lose it. However, you would then just put I another application to A2W in your new job.

Sorry I meant the legalities of taking the equipment rather than the practicalities.

I get what you're saying @Bestseller but they have literally provided nothing since I started 7 months ago.

@WonderTweek thusfar health and safety are just saying wait for it all to be sorted. They don't seem in the slightest bit bothered I've now had a month off sick as a result of all this.

Keep all your paperwork and receipts, if the workplace don’t supply it then they have no claim to it.