A fifth of disabled people had their work requests refused, Scope finds

Tori_Scope

BBC: Covid: A fifth of disabled people have work requests refused

One in five disabled employees had their request to work from home, be furloughed or redeployed during the pandemic rejected, research has shown.

Scope found 22% of disabled staff were put in an "impossible position" of having to choose between keeping their job or staying safe.

It wants the government to give people on the clinically extremely vulnerable list the automatic right to furlough.

The government said it was the employer's responsibility.

In a statement, the Treasury said: "Employers must ensure the safety of those with disabilities when considering working arrangements, including whether work can be completed remotely, and it is for employers to decide whether to make use of the furlough scheme."

The survey of 1,004 disabled adults by the charity, found 18% had their request to work from home denied while 11% were refused a request to be furloughed. A further 11% were told they could not be redeployed within their company.

More than half (55%) said they felt disabled people had been "forgotten" in the government's economic recovery plan.

James Taylor, the executive director of strategy at Scope, said the fact it was "down to employer discretion" meant there was currently "no guarantee" disabled people would have their jobs and health protected.

"Furlough is a vital safety net for disabled people who don't feel safe in the workplace, but whose jobs cannot be done from home," he said.

Have you experienced this? What do you think needs to be done?

MrAllen1976

Meh, the government hates the disabled, the 2010 Equality Act isn't worth the paper it's printed on IMO because the government has never and never will enforce it.

For evidence they hate us, look at all the needless deaths that have happened when the DWP finds people who clearly aren't, fit to work, and then sanction the crap out of them, so the people take their own lives! Yup, the DWP has innocent blood on its hands IMO.

woodbine

I wouldn't disagree that the government has put some disabled people into difficult positions, but the same goes for many others as well in these difficult times.
The 2010 act was a step forward, but I would like to see some evidence @MrAllen1976 for assumptions that the DWP has "blood" on its hands, simply saying something repeatably doesn't make it fact.

MrAllen1976

woodbine said:

I wouldn't disagree that the government has put some disabled people into difficult positions, but the same goes for many others as well in these difficult times.
The 2010 act was a step forward, but I would like to see some evidence @MrAllen1976 for assumptions that the DWP has "blood" on its hands, simply saying something repeatably doesn't make it fact.

Google is your friend.

https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/jodey-whiting-petition-dwp-has-blood-on-its-hands-says-green-party/ direct from Google.