Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU for requesting reasonable adjustments for a disability at work

68 replies

Catty21 · 13/09/2025 20:06

I’ve been off work for a while due to an illness that has now made me disabled. Prior to going off sick , my role was full time. My consultant, family and my works occupational health assessment have all pointed out going back full time will be detrimental to my health and that I request to reduce my hours. I have requested reasonable adjustments to reduce my work to 4 days a week instead of 5. This has been rejected . For context, my role is admin working from home and it’s not like it’s senior role or one that would cause an issue if my hours were reduced. The company I work for is a large corporation so it’s not like I am working for a small business either.

My employer knows I’m protected under the Equality Act but have basically said , yes we acknowledge you have a disability , but we can’t make reasonable adjustments for it and if you cannot do full time, you will have to resign. It feels like they don’t want to me return and they are doing this on purpose so I resign.

AIBU by requesting dropping a day ? Where do I stand legally ? Do I just resign ? I have spoken to ACAS but all they have done is email me generic advice .

Any advice ?

OP posts:
Madwomanuptheroad29 · 13/09/2025 20:09

You need to speak to your union. If you are pushed into resigning it could be constructive dismissal - but you need legal advice from your rep.

InfoSecInTheCity · 13/09/2025 20:10

They have to justify a rejection, so what have they said is the business need, is it just that they need full time hours or is it that they need admin work completed on all of the days Monday-Friday in order to meet SLA’,s, could you suggest part time hours across 5 days instead for example as a compromise?

Sixredjumpersoneblackskirt · 13/09/2025 20:12

Don't resign let them dismiss you on ill health grounds, you are better protected that way. Also seek advice from your union /acas. I was dismissed on ill health grounds after reasonable adjustments failed and they wouldn't/couldn't do any more adjustments. I went onto claim ill health retirement but the process of being dismissed meant I had lots of proof that heelp me gain my pension, and disability benefits.

Praying4Peace · 13/09/2025 20:12

Seems totally unfair.
You need to seek advice from a union

ItsOnlyHobnobs · 13/09/2025 20:13

What’s the nature of your work? I don’t mean too many details, but are you answering calls/email inboxes on a full working week basis?

Does anyone else do the work you do?

Zempy · 13/09/2025 20:13

Are you a trade union member? They will be able to help.

Original poster
Catty21 · 13/09/2025 20:15

Forgot to add I’m not a in a union

OP posts:
SallySuperTrooper · 13/09/2025 20:16

ItsOnlyHobnobs · 13/09/2025 20:13

What’s the nature of your work? I don’t mean too many details, but are you answering calls/email inboxes on a full working week basis?

Does anyone else do the work you do?

This, did they give a reason or just say 'no'.

DeathStare · 13/09/2025 20:17

As others have said please speak to your union - I hope you're a member.

However if thats not an option it would be worth going back to HR and asking them if there is a different pattern of part time working they would consider reasonable. For example some employers would argue that 4 days isn't possible as they can't get anyone to cover 1 day, whereas 2/2.5/3 days would mean they could recruit a job share.

Silverbirchleaf · 13/09/2025 20:17

Do you want to do five days work in four? Or just work regular hours for four days?

Youdontseehow · 13/09/2025 20:18

My experience with HR/dropping hours is that dropping from 5 to 4 days is never something seen as acceptable because it’s too hard to fill a one day a week post to make up the shortfall and fulfil business need.

You might have a better chance stopping to three days as a two day post could be easy to fill.

Whyherewego · 13/09/2025 20:18

It feels very much like that they are trying to force you to resign.

As PP said, they need to give a reason. So can you go back and offer a mitigation or alternative taking their reasoning into account. for example 6 hour days across 5 days ? Or swapping your NWD across the different weeks so they have you different days of the week or a trial period?

If your work OH have recommended it then I am flabbergasted that a large company would refuse. Any ET would rule in your favour because it is not credible for a large employer to be incapable of taking the recommendations of their OH and accommodating part time !

Is it possible your line manager has refused without consulting HR? Maybe worth dropping a line to HR team to check?

If you want to go nuclear, then email the CEO and say:
I have been ill and recently returned to work (or want to return . Whatever the situation). I have just been refused part time working arrangements. My request was because the company OH specifically recommended this as a measure and therefore this would fall under reasonable adjustments under the DDA. If you force me to resign then I will be taking you to an employment tribunal for constructive dismissal.

HeddaGarbled · 13/09/2025 20:18

This hinges on whether the adjustment is reasonable or not. You think it is, they claim not.

Can you make a case for you not working one day a week having no or minimal impact or an impact that could be remedied without unreasonable expense or difficulty?

Original poster
Catty21 · 13/09/2025 20:24

Whyherewego · 13/09/2025 20:18

It feels very much like that they are trying to force you to resign.

As PP said, they need to give a reason. So can you go back and offer a mitigation or alternative taking their reasoning into account. for example 6 hour days across 5 days ? Or swapping your NWD across the different weeks so they have you different days of the week or a trial period?

If your work OH have recommended it then I am flabbergasted that a large company would refuse. Any ET would rule in your favour because it is not credible for a large employer to be incapable of taking the recommendations of their OH and accommodating part time !

Is it possible your line manager has refused without consulting HR? Maybe worth dropping a line to HR team to check?

If you want to go nuclear, then email the CEO and say:
I have been ill and recently returned to work (or want to return . Whatever the situation). I have just been refused part time working arrangements. My request was because the company OH specifically recommended this as a measure and therefore this would fall under reasonable adjustments under the DDA. If you force me to resign then I will be taking you to an employment tribunal for constructive dismissal.

HR and my manager are both singing from the same hymn book, which makes me think they want me to just quit and walk away slightly

OP posts:
Original poster
Catty21 · 13/09/2025 20:26

InfoSecInTheCity · 13/09/2025 20:10

They have to justify a rejection, so what have they said is the business need, is it just that they need full time hours or is it that they need admin work completed on all of the days Monday-Friday in order to meet SLA’,s, could you suggest part time hours across 5 days instead for example as a compromise?

Business need basically, have for that compromise and same no answer

OP posts:
Original poster
Catty21 · 13/09/2025 20:27

DeathStare · 13/09/2025 20:17

As others have said please speak to your union - I hope you're a member.

However if thats not an option it would be worth going back to HR and asking them if there is a different pattern of part time working they would consider reasonable. For example some employers would argue that 4 days isn't possible as they can't get anyone to cover 1 day, whereas 2/2.5/3 days would mean they could recruit a job share.

I’m not in a union and they rejected job share too

OP posts:
MelonElla · 13/09/2025 20:28

What reason have they given for saying no?

Original poster
Catty21 · 13/09/2025 20:29

ItsOnlyHobnobs · 13/09/2025 20:13

What’s the nature of your work? I don’t mean too many details, but are you answering calls/email inboxes on a full working week basis?

Does anyone else do the work you do?

Data entry/spread sheets , odd email. I’m not in a role that requires being on hand to take calls or emails constantly

OP posts:
Original poster
Catty21 · 13/09/2025 20:29

MelonElla · 13/09/2025 20:28

What reason have they given for saying no?

Doesn’t suit the business

OP posts:
Lollytea655 · 13/09/2025 20:30

They can refuse and you can try to counter, you’re going to struggle without the backing of a union though to know whether you are in the right or they are. I’d recommend paying to get some proper legal advice to be honest.

Original poster
Catty21 · 13/09/2025 20:30

SallySuperTrooper · 13/09/2025 20:16

This, did they give a reason or just say 'no'.

Show quote history

Just said no . My role is mainly data entry/analysis

OP posts:
jacks11 · 13/09/2025 20:38

I think if you are not in a union you may have to speak to ACAS again and ask for more specific advice, if possible.

I can’t say whether your request is reasonable, from your employers perspective, or not. They do have to give you a reason with justification- but if they can show that their reasoning is valid, there is not much you can do, but you may be better off being dismissed on health grounds than resigning. Some house insurance policies do cover legal advice (not sure if this covers employment advice or not) but might be worth checking yours?

That said, there are genuinely sometimes good reasons why an employer cannot accommodate requests for adjustments- it’s not always that they are being difficult for the sake of it. Our (well mainly DH’s) business had an employee who requested adjustments - including fewer days and shortee hours and not doing some tasks- we really just could not accommodate those requests as we really did need someone in 5 days and there was no- one with enough slack to take on the tasks she wanted to drop (but not enough to justify employing anybody else, even if we could have justified the expense). She was extremely angry about it all, it was actually a really horrible time as if we could have made adjustments we would have, as she was a good employee- but we really couldn’t. She did try to claim constructive dismissal but lost the case. I’m not saying you’re asking for something unreasonable or unfair, just that it is possible that there is a genuine reason for their rejection of your request. Whatever the case, they do need to supply you with the reason(s) for their decision. If you think they are incorrect/unjustified then by all means take it further.

Whyherewego · 13/09/2025 20:40

It sounds like they just want you to leave. So force their hand.
Are you back at work or planning the return. The return to work would involve some time working at part time especially after a long absence. Usually this would be building

Then when you've been doing a few weeks at part time resubmit the request pointing out how successfully it's worked in reality

If you can afford some legal advice I'd maybe get some. But effectively it is constructive dismissal in the face of it

PrincessofWells · 13/09/2025 20:45

I would advise having a consult with an employment solicitor with disability experience for some good pragmatic advice detailing your options.

If nothing else they can negotiate a lucrative exit package.

CopperWhite · 13/09/2025 20:47

It would be almost impossible for them to get a job share that wanted to do only one day a week, and even if they did they’d have all the extra expense of employing someone for only one day a week. Do you think their response would have been the same if you’d asked to drop two or more days a week?