AIBU to think employers aren’t going nearly far enough with adjustments and that ableist attitudes are still totally normalised?

[coffeeandmycats]

I’m honestly so fed up with how “reasonable adjustments” are treated like some kind of special favour or workplace charity. They’re not. They’re a legal duty under the Equality Act, and they exist because without them, disabled people are shut out of employment or slowly squeezed out once they’re in.
Every time someone says “we couldn’t adjust the role” or “it wouldn’t be fair on the team,” what they usually mean is “we didn’t want to deal with it.” And that’s what drives me mad how often laziness, bias or lack of imagination is brushed off as “just being realistic.” That’s not realism. That’s ableism.
Most jobs can be adjusted. If someone can’t do one task but can do everything else why is the answer to push them out, instead of reshuffling the tasks or offering alternatives? We do this all the time in other settings. You wouldn’t chuck a kid out of school because they struggle with stairs. But in work, suddenly job specs are sacred texts.
And now, with the government trying to push more disabled people back into work (often with threats of benefit sanctions), where is the structural support? Employers still get to decide whether something is “reasonable,” even when they’ve shown time and again that they don’t understand or don’t care. That’s not a system that’s a gamble.
We should be encouraging every disabled person denied adjustments to take their employer straight to tribunal. I don’t care if it’s uncomfortable the law needs to be enforced. But also, it shouldn’t have to get that far. There should be an independent ombudsman-style service that employers must subscribe to something that can assess adjustment requests fairly and quickly, without making the disabled person go to war to be heard.
And honestly? If a business can’t afford to make space for disabled people, whether that’s with flexibility, equipment, transport help or task reallocation, then maybe they shouldn’t be in business. If your model only works when everyone is 100% able-bodied, then your model is broken. Shut it down.
AIBU to think we’ve got this totally backwards? That we’re still treating inclusion like a bonus feature instead of a basic requirement? That people who need adjustments are somehow seen as the problem instead of the systems and attitudes around them?
I’m sure this will rub some people the wrong way. Maybe that’s the point.

I agree with you, OP, but look at all the howling and rending of garments at employers having to pay more NI or the Employment Rights Bill. And all large employers have the ear of government.

You don’t ever answer the question. You ignore posters who point out the possible disastrous effects on other staff, but also the public.

thank you

yes but the public sector need to find ways around it like doubling up on staff, what exactly am I avoiding?

Because she doesn't care. She's not once given any indication she has thought beyond herself (or i suppose her uncle).

Of course it's OK. I have ADHD, I have had to curate my career to the jobs I can cope with. That's me taking responsibility for my life. You don't live in the real world.

At a cost to the taxpayer!!

A business advising/helping people take employers to a tribunal for refusing, what you deem to believe, reasonable adjustments?

She paid down her mortgage with homeless charity funds. She doesn't give a shit about the tax payer 😂

"Injury to feelings" = God give me strength

Very true. Doubt she pays taxes

I do, I just believe in disability rights!

I agreed with you at the beginning this thread Op but I'm afraid I've changed my mind. Your approach is so extreme that basically fuck everyone else only disabled employees matter. It is not considered reasonable in the law that one individuals adjustments should negatively impact other staff.

The bare foot stuff is just hideous, and at one point you mentioned open wounds. At this stage I personally would fucking leave my job if someone's 'reasonable' adjustments were to walk around bare foot with open fucking wounds. Rank

I deal with reasonable adjustments on a daily basis at work. Thankfully most people who need them are reasonable human beings who still want to their jobs. We work in essential public services and employees not doing their jobs properly could have devastating consequences. In some instances people just need to accept they can't manage the job and find something else

I pay taxes on my business of course I do!

every employment tribunal decision for disability discrimination will likely come with injury to feelings.

fair enough, I personally believe disabled rights heavily trump a businesses right to make profit.

Ah, now I know you're trolling after that comment.

No I secured a position as a compliance manager for a charity before leaving to start my own business.

but they do, legally the public sector must try to retain disabled staff it's the law.

Let me make an exaggerated example, and you tell me what the difference is:

Can you not see the impossibility of paying two people to do the work of one person?

Have you ever been an employer?

Do you pay personal taxes to fund all these extra people you think should exist in the public service just so that other people's feelings don't get hurt?

It's people like you who make life harder for genuinely disadvantaged/disabled people in the workplace

They don't though

Of the family cases that went to tribunal but did not win their discrimination claims, I do wonder how unreasonable the adjustments were that the family were looking for after some of the things I have read on this thread.

no that's not my job, it's easy to take someone to an employment tribunal and if you lose there is no cost to you. So if anyone feels like they were discriminated due to a disability they should do this, in my opinion.

Don't you agree that some jobs probably aren't suitable for people with anxiety? I would include active roles within the emergency services and roles like air traffic controllers in that category.

It may be legal to apply for these jobs without mentioning your need for reasonable adjustments but it does seem morally wrong to apply for a job, the main duties of which you cannot do due to severe anxiety, and then take the employer to a tribunal if reasonable adjustments aren't possible. It does sound like a scam or a grift.