The duty under the Disability Discrimination Act to make reasonable adjustments to prevent disabled people being disadvantaged at work applies during the recruitment process, as well as in relation to existing employees.
This means employers should consider how to comply with the duty at each stage of the recruitment process, from advertising a vacancy to selection. Employers shouldn't wait for a candidate to raise the issue of reasonable adjustments before they start thinking about potential action they could take.
A new guide in the XpertHR "how to" section gives employers practical guidance on how to comply with the duty to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process (subscription required).
It's not possible to list all the potential adjustments that may be necessary and reasonable, as these will vary greatly, depending on the individual needs of the candidate, but the article gives some examples of what recruiters should be considering at each stage of the process. These include:
- ensuring that job adverts on websites are designed to be compatible with screen-reading software used by visually impaired people;
- changing the location of the interview to make sure it is accessible;
- providing an induction loop system for the interview to assist someone who uses a hearing aid;
- arranging the timing of the interview to suit the candidate, for example avoiding the need to travel at rush hour; and
- having someone meet the candidate from public transport and accompanying him or her to the interview room.
The important thing is not to make assumptions about a disabled candidate's capability, or what he or she may require by way of reasonable adjustments. Potential adjustments should be discussed with the candidate to make sure they are necessary and will be effective.
The new guide is available in the XpertHR "how to" section, along with extensive guidance on other aspects of recruiting and selecting employees (subscription required).
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