To feel like some reasonable adjustments are actually unreasonable

[Tiredjusttired]

Fully prepared to get flamed here, but please hear me out.

The small team I work in has an increasingly large proportion of people receiving workplace adjustments for disabilities such as ADHD, stomach issues, MS, depression, heart problems. The adjustments typically involve less workload, more time to complete tasks, less responsibility, less travel, priority for desk based tasks (while being paid the same as those with full responsibility and workload obligations).

My problem is that it means there is no capacity for the rest of us to catch a breath, undertake shadowing for professional development, or do general CPD, since the overall team workload has remained the same. I keep telling myself it is right my employer makes these adjustments, but it just feels so unfair. I’ve had to work so much of today to keep up with the workload. The ones without reasonable adjustments have to pick up the slack.

Does anyone else feel similarly? I guess I can take comfort in the fact my employer will hear me out when or if I have health issues myself, although the policy for menopause/pregnancy is very frugal. Currently, it seems a bit two-tier .

I agree with that too - if you're talking about actual deadwood. But we are talking about people with additional needs which is different.

But they consciously hired one of these people and I think it was part of a scheme for hiring staff with disabilities. I support that. I just think it's a bit bonkers not to spend the money on extra help when they've actually got the money. And yes, I do know, because I see the accounts as part of my work for them.

I really don't understand how so many companies fuck up common sense things.

This, it is madness.
I agree with reasonable adjustments within reason, however, when colleagues are unable to provide the services, it falls onto other staff.

Public sector by any chance?

I can see offering to pay someone with a disability less because they aren’t working as quickly going down like a lead balloon!!!!

It’s the same issue in education. A classic reasonable adjustment suggested by EPs is ‘give more time to complete the task’ - obviously when it’s a test that’s fine, but if I teach something then give them 20 minutes to do a task, then it’s break, where am I supposed to get the extra time for the child to finish off? Take it off their break? Get one of the time turners out of Harry Potter? I cant magic extra time out of nowhere.

And the issue with both workplaces and schools of course, is that reasonable adjustments are often very reasonable when only one person needs them. But, as the OP has identified, it becomes impossible to manage when it’s many people in the same place.

Well frankly, it shouldn’t be placed on the shoulders of the employer. But unfortunately it is. Very easy for the government to pass the buck to the employer, some of whom don’t have broad enough shoulders to cope with all of these expectations, and increased costs (employ another person?) to work the gap. YANBU OP.

I hear you over the stress of it all on you but some believe people with disabilities should just be fired/managed out, what are people who are disabled/need adjustments to work and "keep up with" colleagues supposed to do? If people don't work and are on sickness benefits, often the line of thinking is you're lazy and can't be that ill so "get a job" so what is the overall solution for everyone? What should people with disabilities "do"?

You are confusing different issues.

People with disabilities having reasonable adjustments in place does not mean that you should have to pick up extra workload.

My reasonable adjustment is working from home. That does not mean that anyone has to take on some of my workload.

It is a poor management problem, not a disability one.

Also it seems that disabled people can't win: they are told to work rather than claim benefits but when they are in the workplace and need reasonable adjustments people resent them.

She’s being enabled to take the piss. No birthday cards for her then. Honestly don’t know how she doesn’t feel embarrassed that everyone has to carry her. And she’ll no doubt be paid the same as everyone else for doing less work.

You're right, disabled people can't win, but no-one will come up with an answer, they will just keep insisting they get back to work, but not where they work, not with adjustments, not with equal.pay, even though it will be harder for the disabled person to do the same job, at the same speed in the same way.

From an ACAS point of view a reasonable adjustment must

• Enable the employee to perform their work and reduce disadvantage (work, basically)
• not incur disproportionate financial burden
• not negatively impact others

Your workplace seem like they have interpreted it as let people do what they want - do you have a proper HR department? I wonder if they are scared of getting sued and that’s why they are being too soft

Your employer needs to do one of the following:

1. hire more staff
2. accept less work will be done
3. say the adjustments cannot be accommodated.

They shouldnt just expect other staff to take up the slack.

Totally agree OP. I have Autism (diagnosed Asperger’s in the old days!) and even I think the reasonable adjustments thing is getting ridiculous,
particularly if it impacts on other people in the work force.
I think reasonable adjustments like not travelling too much around a building if physically disabled etc is absolutely understandable.

I have a back condition that means I can’t do heavy lifting (about 10% of our role) they can’t hire extra staff so my co worker has to do the heavy lifting but that means I do more of other areas of our role. So I’m not slacking but the role has been adjusted to fit my need.

if A person is unable to do their job due to disability they either need their role tweaking but they still should be working to the same level as everyone else. Or they need moving into a more suitable role.

I disagree. I have a neurological condition and need reasonable adjustments. I would never expect that to mean an increased burden on my colleagues.
That's not reasonable

But what the heck is the limit with this?

An employer needs x things done, they hore a team of say, six people to do them. Now three need "reasonable accomodations" and the other three, while getting paid, are working flat out, and in the end can't keep up.

So now the employer has to hire extra people to do the job he already hired for? What does that do for the bottom line?

My feeling is that in general, if the reasonable adjustment means that you need to hire other people to do the job, it's not a reasonable adjustment any more. It just means you can't do the job.

And an awful lot of "reasonable adjustment" now seems to be about paying some people the same wage for more work, and that is supposed to be fair. But why should they feel it's fair to do more for the same pay?

But if I say my adjustment was that I need to do 30% less work, that work still needs to be done by someone.

I wouldn't want to be paid the same to do less work

It is the employer who should be making the reasonable adjustments, not the rest of the staff.

If the adjustment these staff members need is to work less, your employer needs to take on more staff, not rely on existing staff to pick up the slack.

“What you’re saying is actually discriminatory and could get you or the company in serious trouble. Treating someone differently because they have reasonable adjustments for a disability is against the law under the Equality Act.
Not including someone in something like a birthday card because of their disability isn’t just unfair — it could be seen as harassment or discrimination. That kind of comment could end up in an Employment Tribunal, or even lead to dismissal.
People don’t get adjustments to ‘take the piss’ — they get them because they’re legally entitled to a fair chance to do their job. Whether you agree or not doesn’t change the law

I think the problem is that the law is missleading. For example removing the need for someone ina wheelchair to take out the trash (ie removing 5 mins of thir job) by nature means someone else has to do it. Obviously this is a silly example but if something is removed so.eone else has to.do it

If the workload isn't manageable you need to speak to your manager and tell them that it isn't manageable. Reasonable adjustments for disabilities shouldn't even come in to that. Just focus on yourself and what you can/cannot handle.

In principle yes.

But if someone's adjustment is not getting up to go to the printer then they can't hire someone on standby to walk to the printer once a week...

If you knew that your doctor had required extra time in all of their medical exams
due to 'adjustment'
would you feel reassured or concerned ?