Flexible working request - can you do this under two heads, e.g. parent plus disabled?

[edam]

I collapsed at work the other day and got sent home. Have been thinking for some time that I should put in a flexible working request - I have a massive commute that is just knackering and could work far more effectively from home one day a week.

I qualify for the right to request flexible working as a parent, but the collapse at work makes me think perhaps I should also raise this as a reasonable adjustment for disability? I do have a long-standing health issue although I've never defined myself as disabled, but the collapse was to do with this health issue - basically, I'd had very little sleep for several nights due to an ear infection, and lack of sleep makes it more likely the health condition will be an issue (i.e. likelihood of a collapse increases).

I can't remember whether I ticked the box for disability when I applied for the job nine months ago but my employer does know about the health condition informally (i.e. I don't think it's written down anywhere unless I ticked the box on the form).

Does anyone have an advice? Should I apply for flexible working as a parent, as a disabled person, or both (is it possible to go for both)? Directgov website and Equalities Commission website are both rather vague about how you apply for reasonable adjustments if you are disabled - does anyone know more about this?

Would really appreciate any guidance from anyone who has been there, or who works in HR/employment law, or knows anything about this!

There's not a formal process for asking for reasonable adjustments to your job because of a disability as such. It would often involve medical recommendations though.

First thing to do is establish whether your condition is in fact classed as a disability, which you don't seem very sure of. EHRC website has some defining questions and your doctor should also be able to advise you.

I can't see any reason why you can't apply on both grounds, but I would seek confirmation that your condition is a disability first and talk to your GP about whether he/she believes a day a week working from home would be a good adjustment, and whether he/she believes you could continue to do your job without that.

I'm not aware of a formal procedure for requesting reasonable adjustments for disability. I think you'd just have to set out in writing the fact that you have a long term health condition that consistutes a disability under the Disability Discrimination Act (check the wording of the Act first, to make sure that you're happy defining yourself as such), then request the adjustments you would ideally like. Bear in mind that your employer may want a report from your GP or from Occupational Health giving their opinion on what adjustments are required.

X-post with flowery!

How strange, I'm sure I posted on this earlier - from work - to say 'thank you'! (Maybe I wrote the message but got distracted by actual work before I pressed 'post message'...) Anyway, many thanks to both of you, that is extremely helpful.