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Why is this important?

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Do disabled people get special protection at work?

This information applies to Northern Ireland

The Disability Discrimination Act 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 at: www.equalityhumanrights.com.

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.

Other Frequently asked questions about discrimination:

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