FREENEY WILLIAMS LTD http://www.freeneywilliams.com THE DISABILITY AND EQUALITY AGENDA E-BULLETIN – JUNE 2008 For information about how Freeney Williams Ltd can help your organisation achieve the disability and equality agenda please contact enquiries@freeneywilliams.com Please forward this bulletin to a colleague so they can subscribe. In this month: 1.SCOTTISH MAN WINS £25,000 IN COMPENSATION 2.CAR INSURANCE CASE SPARKS CHANGE OF POLICY 3.BUSINESS CASE FOR DISABILITY AND DIVERSITY 4.UN CONVENTION ON DISABILITY RIGHTS 5.DISABILITY DISPUTE ENSUES FOR NORTH LONDON RECRUITER 6.DWP URGED TO OPEN UP ACCESS TO WORK FUNDING 7.DISABLED JOBS BOOST AS REMPLOY PLACES RECORD NUMBER IN MAINSTREAM ROLES 8.TUC PUBLISHES GUIDANCE ON MENTAL HEALTH 9.“A RADICAL RETHINK”: TACKLING MENTAL HEALTH PREJUDICE 10.PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES “EXCLUDED FROM ELECTIONS” 1.SCOTTISH MAN WINS £25,000 IN COMPENSATION A roadworker has been awarded more than £25,000 compensation after he was sacked for taking a year's sick leave following an accident at work. Read the full story at: http://www.clydebankpost.co.uk/articles/1/24288/ 2.CAR INSURANCE CASE SPARKS CHANGE OF POLICY An insurance company has changed its policies on adapted vehicles after being taken to court by a disabled man who was refused an insurance quote. For full story visit: http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/latest-news2/car-insurance-case-sparks-change-of-policy 3.BUSINESS CASE FOR DISABILITY AND DIVERSITY Firms that take steps to improve diversity in the workplace earn real business benefits, a joint report from the CBI and the TUC suggests today. For more information visit: http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/19197 4.UN CONVENTION ON DISABILITY RIGHTS Anne McGuire, Minister for Disabled People, updated Parliament on the UN Convention on Disability Rights, issuing a Parliamentary Written Statement on 6 May. The statement addressed: – the Government’s response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ (JCHR) recommendation about the Convention in its report ‘A life like any other? Human Rights of Adults with Learning Disabilities’ –progress towards ratification of the Convention, including work by the Devolved Administrations and Government Departments to check their policies, practices and procedures against the Convention’s provisions. Read the written statement and response to the JCHR’s recommendation http://www.c-f-1.com/d.aspx?e=OTk1OTE5ODQ2&c=2&linkID=725598 5.DISABILITY DISPUTE ENSUES FOR NORTH LONDON RECRUITER A North London recruitment agency has become embroiled in a bitter dispute nine months after an Employment Tribunal ruled that it had discriminated against a deaf jobseeker. Freelance disability trainer Pauline Alexander took Edgware-based property recruiter Sales Link Services (SLS) to a tribunal after a consultant refused to give her an interview because she was deaf. For the full story visit: http://www.recruiter.co.uk/Articles/337163/Disability+dispute+ensues+for+North+London+recruiter.html 6.DWP URGED TO OPEN UP ACCESS TO WORK FUNDING EFD has called for Access to Work funding to be made more accessible for public and private sector employers. Responding to the Department of Work and Pensions’ consultation on specialist disability employment services, EFD says it wants more consistent advice given to employers on disability and welfare-to-work providers to be required to demonstrate best practice on employing disabled people. The consultation paper contained proposals to reform the Workstep programme and to enhance the role of Jobcentre Plus disability employment advisers. It also sought views on changes to Access to Work. A major review of the effectiveness of the scheme is to be published by the Institute of Employment Studies later this year. The current system helps 24,000 employees get funding for adjustments that help them work, but EFD says that not enough employers know about the scheme. “There is room for improvement in the Access to Work scheme, and employers have welcomed the chance to input into government policy on employment and disability,” said EFD chief executive Susan Scott-Parker. She said EFD members were concerned that the government is looking at removing Access to Work funding from employees in the public sector: “Employers need support in identifying the best reasonable adjustment for the individual and, where necessary, additional funding to get that adjustment. Some employees may be prevented from working in the public sector if Access to Work funding is taken away from them. “We want to see more clarity and consistency of support across the system, not different levels of service for different employers. This will only add to the confusion.” 7.DISABLED JOBS BOOST AS REMPLOY PLACES RECORD NUMBER IN MAINSTREAM ROLES A record number of disabled people found work through using Remploy's services last year. For more information visit: http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2008/04/24/45571/disabled-jobs-boost-as-remploy-places-record-number-in-mainstream.html 8.TUC PUBLISHES GUIDANCE ON MENTAL HEALTH The TUC has published new guidance to help employers and unions to support people with mental health problems at work. For full story visit: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/05/22/jobs-call-over-mental-health-100252-20946477/ 9.“A RADICAL RETHINK”: TACKLING MENTAL HEALTH PREJUDICE Earlier this month EHRC Chair, Trevor Phillips, called for a 'radical rethink' by employers to unleash the talent of people with mental health conditions in a speech for the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health. He called on employers to 'create a workplace which cultivates openness, provides support and promotes mental wellbeing.' He went on to point out that less than forty per cent of employers are willing to hire someone with a mental health condition. The cost to the economy is around £10 billion a year. Trevor suggested a range of practical measures to help employers create a level playing field for staff with mental illnesses, including flexibility at work and a buddy or mentoring scheme for day-to-day support. Angela Greatley, chief executive of the Sainsbury centre for Mental Health, said: 'We are delighted that Trevor Phillips has highlighted the need for all of us to tackle the ignorance and prejudices that reduce the life chances and potential of people with mental health problems.' For full story visit: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/newsandcomment/speeches/Pages/Weneedaradicalrethinktohelpmentallyillatwork.aspx 10.PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES “EXCLUDED FROM ELECTIONS” Only one in six people with learning disabilities voted in the last local elections despite 80% being registered to do so, according to a survey published today. For more information visit: http://www.24dash.com/news/Communities/2008-04-30-People-with-learning-disabilities-excluded-from-elections To subscribe or unsubscribe visit http://www.freeneywilliams.com/dea-e-bulletin.asp © Freeney Williams Ltd 2007 37 Buckingham Road Brighton East Sussex BN1 3RP T 01273 327715 F 01273 327715 E enquiries@freeneywilliams.com