Employment - In England

This information applies to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) is intended to help protect disabled people from discrimination in a number of different areas

Employment protection is now in place which makes it illegal for employers to discriminate on disability grounds. This applies to recruitment, terms and conditions of employment, promotion, and selection for redundancy or dismissal. There are some important points to remember:-

·direct discrimination is against the law

·an employer may sometimes be able to treat a disabled person less favourably, if they have a sufficiently justifiable reason for doing so. For example, an employer would be justified in rejecting someone with severe back pain for a job as a carpet fitter, as they cannot carry out the essential requirements of the job

• if your employer fails to make 'reasonable adjustments' for your disability, this is discrimination
• it is against the law for your employer, or anyone who works with you, to harass you because of your disability, for example by calling you names or making jokes about your disability
• it is against the law for your employer to victimise you for taking action under the Disability Discrimination Act, or for helping someone else to take action.

If you think you have been discriminated against because you have a disability, contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

For more information about what counts as 'reasonable adjustments' to the workplace, and for general information about what to do about disability discrimination, see Disability discrimination.

For the address of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, see Disability discrimination.

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Other Frequently asked questions about employment:

• Am I entitled to paid holiday?
• Am I entitled to have the Bank holiday off work?
• My partner is due to have a baby very soon. Am I entitled to any time off work? Will I get paid?
• Can my employer force me to give back an overpayment of wages?
• Does my employer need to give me a certain period of notice before he dismisses me?
• Can my employer dismiss me because I am pregnant?
• I think I am being discriminated against at work because I am a woman.  What can I do?
• What can I do about being victimised after I complained about being discriminated against at work?
• I feel I am being racially discriminated against at work.  What can I do?
• I think I'm being treated unfairly because of my religion, is this legal?
• I'm being harassed at work because my colleagues think I’m gay. What can I do?
• My contract at work says I have to retire at 60. Can they make me retire?
• I’ve just applied for a job and the form asks for my date of birth. Do I have to give it? I’m afraid the company won’t look at my application if they realise how old I am.
• I am under a lot of stress at work, does my employer have to do anything about this?
• When I was younger I got into trouble with the police. I'm applying for jobs now and I'm worried my conviction will stop me getting work. Do I have to tell employers about my criminal record?