Managing disability at work – a legal and practice update

Programme

9.00

Registration and coffee

9.20

Welcome and introduction

9.30

Employment and disability
Dr John Ballard, editor of Occupational Health [at Work]

• National statistics
• Closing the employment gap

9.45

DISABILITY LAW
Understanding disability law
Rebecca Tuck, barrister

• Who is covered under the Equality Act 2010?
• Understanding the terminology: direct and indirect discrimination; discrimination arising from disability
• Disability, capability and unfair dismissal
• Duty to make reasonable adjustments – deciding what is ‘reasonable’
• Pre-employment health questionnaires, health declarations and examinations
• What if an employee’s child or dependant is disabled?
• European Framework Directive and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

10.40

Coffee

11.00

Disability law – ensuring legal compliance in the workplace
Diana Kloss, barrister

• Consent: at referral, consultation and report
• Advising on fitness for work: what employers need to know (and what they should expect of OH)
• What should you do if an employee tells something to OH, but doesn’t want the employer to know?
• Adjusting sick-pay triggers
• Lying about a health condition at pre-employment
• Health, safety and disability
• Potential liability of the OH professional

11.50

Disability law Q&A – ‘difficult issues’
Diana Kloss and Rebecca Tuck

Your chance to put your live and pre-submitted questions to our legal experts.

12.15

Lunch

13.20

The OH referral – step by step
Dr Nerys Williams, independent OH physician

• Managing the referral – ensuring that managers and employees understand the process
• The consultation
• The OH report – what makes a good report (and a bad one)?
• Access to Work, and other resources

14.10

The four Rs of disability management – a good practice guide
Dr Alister Scott, BT

• Recruitment and pre-placement best practice
• Risk assessmentSafety critical environments
• Reasonable adjustments
• Retention

15.00

Tea

15.20

Mental health: the role of OH
Helen Wray, Mars Chocolate UK

• Recognising common mental health conditions
• Practical support at work
• Addressing stigma
• Managing difficult issues – capability and attendance

16.10

Final questions

16.20

Close of conference