Freeney Williams Ltd. http://www.freeneywilliams.com The Disability and Equality Agenda e-bulletin – September 2011 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. Employers feel fit notes are unfit for purpose 2. WHO figures show 1 billion disabled people 3. Cases 4. Why Bother? Video clip by CEO, Employers Forum on Disability 5. Manchester Airport launches guide for disabled travellers 6. Closing Remploy workshops could help others into work 7. Cinema’s and accessibility 8. Furthering disability equality for staff in the HE sector – new guidance published 1. Employers feel fit notes are unfit for purpose Employers have little confidence in the fit note system and do not feel that GPs effectively communicate what needs to be done in order for employees to get back to work. For more click http://www.personneltoday.com:80/articles/2011/08/01/57836/fit-notes-causing-headaches-for-employers.html But the man responsible for overhauling the system says things will improve. For more click http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/sep/06/no-turning-back-work-capability-assessment 2. WHO figures show 1 billion disabled people Those who say disability is a niche issue might find this article interesting – 1 in 7 of the world’s population is considered to be disabled. For more click http://atrophiedmind.wordpress.com/2011/08/14/inclusivity-requires-a-paradigm-shift/ 3. Cases A couple of cases of interest: * Northamptonshire NHS discriminated against a disabled job applicant. For more click http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-14549404#story_continues_1 * Starbucks settle law suit in Texas after sacking short stature lawyer on health and safety grounds. For more click http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/aug/19/starbucks-pays-barista-fired-dwarfism 4. Why Bother? Video clip by CEO, Employers Forum on Disability Interesting YouTube video from Susan Scott Parker, CEO, Employers Forum on Disability about why disability is an issue for all organizations. View it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ83f2gZvKs&feature=share 5. Manchester Airport launches guide for disabled travellers Manchester Airport has launched a guide to provide all of the information disabled people might need when travelling. For more click http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/manweb.nsf/Content/ManchesterAirportrampsupservicefordisabledcustomers 6. Closing Remploy workshops could help others into work The Sayce report continues to spark debate. Could closing the Remploy workshops currently employing 2,300 help 35,000 other disabled people into work? For more click http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14584585 7. Cinema’s and accessibility There is increasing pressure on cinemas to do more to increase access for disabled people and a number of high profile campaigns are currently running using Facebook as well as through the press and TV. The Cinema Exhibiters Association (CEA) has published their position on the issue regarding access and disabled people. For more click http://www.cinemauk.org.uk/mediacentre/_127/ 8. Furthering disability equality for staff in the HE sector – new guidance published The Equality Challenge Unit has just published new research based guidance about developing the way the HE sector employs disabled people. Interestingly the HE sector has always been good on dealing with the issues for disabled students but the general concensus of disabled staff is that it is not so good for them! To download the guidance click http://www.ecu.ac.uk:80/publications/enabling-equality-staff Back to top To subscribe or unsubscribe click http://www.freeneywilliams.com/dea-e-bulletin.asp © Freeney Williams Ltd 2011 37 Buckingham Road Brighton East Sussex BN1 3RP T 01273 327715 F 01273 327715 mailto:enquiries@freeneywilliams.com Follow us on Twitter Back to top