Exemptions for small to medium sized businesses (SMEs) to the Disability Discrimination Act were removed today; many more businesses will now need to abide by the rules.
As of 1 October 2004, organisations of any size will be expected to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to their premises as well as their employment, recruitment and dismissal procedures.
FirstAssist, a healthcare and wellbeing provider warns that the Act covers sensory, physical or mental disabilities, which includes stress one of the biggest causes of staff absence in the UK.
The Health and Safety Executive estimates that 6.5 million sick days are down to stress. This cost equates to £3 billion a year.
Tim Ablett, Chief Executive of FirstAssist commented: “The changes to the DDA are an issue of concern for all businesses and highlights the need for them to address staff health and wellbeing. Stress and health audits offer employers an important insight into the issues affecting their staff and should become an integral part of staff absence management strategies.”
Ablett concludes, “Failure to comply with the DDA could result in costly legal action and businesses stand to gain more by taking a proactive approach and by adapting to the needs of disabled employees and helping them to become active, productive members of the team.”
