Proposed new company car not suitable for DS needs - can we do anything?

[CwtchesAndCuddles]

DH has a company car which is used as the main family car when he is not in work. The one he has now is fine for ds but the one the company want to replace it with has manual windows in the back. We are trying to argue that it's not safe for ds (ASD, severe learning difficulties) as he will not leave the window leaver alone! The nurse in his special school has written a letter supporting us and has emphasised the need to have electric windows which can be controlled from the front.

Dh works for a huge company but we are getting nowhere with HR! They don't even reply............

Does any one have any info that could help us???

I would have thought you would be able to remove the winder handle cwtches. I am sure they come off.

No option to opt out, there used to be but they have withdrawn the choice now or we would have done that. Dh has to have a car for his job and we have to pay plenty of tax for the benefit of having the car to use for the family.

Not allowed to "modify" or "damage" the vehicle - it's crazy!!!

We're quite happy to pay for the electric window option ourselves (if we have to) but we can't get any sense out of the company and keep being passed from one dept to another.

It is possible this may fall under the Disability Discrimination Act so we are looking into it - I was hoping someone might have had experience of it themselves. Dh works for one of the BT group - so not a small employer!

Try contacting Fleet instead of HR, they are the ones who normally do the ordering and may allow you to have options

Offer to pay the extra that electric windows would cost?

If they won't compromise, take the window winders/levers off?

Taking the winder off is not allowed - crazy isn't it? Because dh uses the car for work and may have to carry others in the car (never happens but it COULD) the car must be fully functioning............

We have offered to pay for the electric window option but we can't get them to communicate.

It's so frustrating and should be such a simple thing to sort out.

I used to work for BT years ago. Fleet is definitely the right department to go to as Dev9Aug suggested. I wouldn't take the window levers off as that would be detrimental on a number of levels. Your DH could also speak to Occupational Health and see if they can help. Tbh. I didn't think that manual opening windows existed anymore, but then I remember the days when there was only one choice of car in three colours per management grade at BT!!

Fleet sounds like a good plan. Failing that, pass this to the union rep? If an employee needed a wheelchair accessible vehicle or hand controls, the company would presumably be obliged to try their best. Someone, somewhere will surely have drafted a policy... it'll just be that no-one outside their little square of office knows it exists.

Fleet? union?