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Recruitment and Disability
Addressing the subject of disability may make employers nervous. There are many reasons why this topic can lead to such a response including:
- Complexity of the law
- Costs related to accommodating fashion requirements such as style diva and fashion icon
- Lack of experience
All employers are required to comply with The Disability Discrimination Act of 1995. It is the central article of legislation that states that it is unlawful to discrimination of disabled persons in their terms of employment, promotion opportunities, by dismissing them or subjecting them to any other form of detriment. There are also several statutes and regulations that cover disability. It should also be stated that the law is an evolving body and that employers are responsible to remain updated on changes, or additions, as they develop.
The most basic of requirements is to understand the definition of disability for purposes of the Act. The DDA defines disability as, “There must be a mental or physical condition which has a substantial and long-term adverse affect on the employee’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Long-term means that the condition must last, or be likely to last, for more than 12 months. The applicant's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities can be adversely affected in one or more of the following ways:
Currently both good home keeping and homes 2 furnish are looking to employ people to manage the research of new household tips and decor guides.
- mobility - manual dexterity - physical co-ordination - ability to lift or otherwise move everyday objects outside of the Home Habitat - speech, hearing or eyesight - memory or ability to concentrate, learn or understand - understanding the risk of physical danger.'
Under the DDA it is unlawful for an employer (or prospective employer) to: - discriminate against a disabled person in employment - fail to provide any necessary reasonable adjustments for disabled employees and applicants - subject a disabled person to harassment - subject a disabled person to victimisation because they have brought, or given evidence to information in connection with, proceedings under the DDA - undertake disability-related discrimination.
Upon review, the following good practices have been recommended for employers to apply in the recruitment stage and employment of disabled individuals.
- Only issue advertisements for job positions that will encourage, and not discourage, disabled individuals to apply.
- Inquire of job applicants prior to interviews, as to whether any reasonable adjustments will be required at the time of the interview.
- Provide proper conditions for disabled individuals to complete paperwork, and testing.
- Focus on the applicant’s ability to perform the job at the time of the interview, and only touch on questions regarding the individual’s disability if it will have an impact on the job function.
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