Employing Disabled PeopleThere are sound business reasons for employing disabled people. You can:
If an organisation employs a disabled member of staff, they would need to make reasonable adjustments - to the physical features of the premises if necessary - to allow the disabled employee to work. A reasonable adjustment does not have to be costly and might include widening a doorway to allow wheelchair access or providing an accessible toilet. But an employer only needs to make adjustments that are "reasonable", bearing in mind such things as the cost of the adjustment and its practicability. The Disability Rights Commission (now forming part of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission) has a detailed guide to employing disabled people for small businesses.
Another source of good information for employers is the Business Link website. Pages relating to the recruitment and employment of disabled people can be found here. Access to Work is a government project aimed at assisting in access for disabled and Deaf employees and can be a hige benefit when considering employing disabled people. Disabled people can get Access to Work nto only for contracted work, but also for any interviews that would be nescessary in order to get work. Shape Arts in London has produced a Rough Guide to Access to Work, which is also a helpful read.
The following document is available to download with thanks to Arts Council Wales and Disability Arts Cymru:
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