How to make work-related adjustments

1. Consult the person with the disability first

Before making any adjustments, consult the person with the disability. Often quite simple adjustments are the most effective and the individual employee will be able to advise on the type of adjustments, if necessary, in order for them to be successful in the new position.

2. Selection

If an applicant has a disability that will require adjustment to the non-core requirements of the position, the selection committee should discuss feasible adjustments with the applicant. The selection committee's report will include details of any adjustments to the job that were discussed with a recommended applicant.

• A job seeker may ask a friend to 'sit in' at the selection interview.
• A person with a hearing impairment may need to have a signing interpreter present. An employer is obliged to provide one if needed.

3. Health assessments

All employees must satisfy the inherent job requirements and demands for the position which they employed.

The Department of Premier and Cabinet Employment Health Assessment Policy and Guidelines assist employers to make appropriate use of health assessment when appointing a person with a disability or determining their fitness to continue duty, and to avoid unlawful discrimination.

4. Work area design

Altering the physical layout of the office or work site may be necessary to provide a work environment that enables an employee to perform their duties effectively. Adjustments to the work area design might require, for example, the lowering or raising desks, relocating filing cabinets and adjusting lighting to provide ease of access. Acoustic tiles might need to be installed to minimise distracting noise for people with visual and hearing impairments.

Adjustments in equipment can help people with a disability perform their job with greater efficiency. For example, providing:

• email and text messaging access for a hearing impaired employee
• a recording device to take messages for some physically or sight impaired people
• computer software such as voice recognition or a speech synthesiser.

The Australian Disability Clearing House on Education and Training provides comprehensive information about inclusive teaching, learning and assessment strategies, assistive technology and other accommodations and support services for people with disabilities.

It is important to remember that people with similar disabilities may have different equipment or adjustment needs. Make sure that the employee is consulted prior to making any adjustments or purchasing equipment.

Advice is available from JobAccess a one-stop information site with a dedicated section providing information and advice for employers and people with a disability.
Read more information on funding for work related adjustment (link to “funding for work related adjustment sectionâ€).

5. Job design

This form of adjustment can involve exchanging some tasks of a job for tasks of another position. Some examples are:

• exchanging telephone duties for filing duties for a hearing impaired person
• duties requiring frequent lifting and carrying may be exchanged for increased responsibility for other procedures for a nurse with a permanent back injury
• a person with a mild intellectual disability who administers a computer database may require the allocation of tasks involving attention to detail in place of tasks involving complex problem solving.

6. Flexible work practices

Flexible working arrangements offer a range of ways for meeting both the agency's work requirements and the particular needs of an employee with a disability. Some examples are:

• flexible work start and finish times to accommodate the difficulties some people with a disability have getting to and from work using public transport
• regular short breaks to assist people with diabetes and other illnesses which require periodic medication or rest periods
• part-time work or working from home.

7. Access to the workplace

Consider whether there is direct and barrier free access from the building entrance to all public use areas, including accessible toilet facilities and whether the lifts have lower control panels and accessible emergency phones.

Meeting an access requirement may involve providing a ramp into a building for a mobility impaired person, or clear markings on steps for a sight impaired person, or providing (where appropriate) a parking space near a wheelchair accessible entrance or lift. Advice and assistance can be obtained from a JobAccess Advisers.

8. Training and development

Adjustments may be made to provide access to development opportunities. Some examples are:

• courses should be conducted in accessible locations
• a signing interpreter may be needed with a hearing impairment or audio notes for a visually impaired employee
• providing for career development may include making adjustments to other jobs so that employees with a disability can act in different or higher positions to develop new skills.

9. Restructuring/relocation

Jobs that are redesigned and regraded through restructuring need to include arrangements for adjustments so that staff with a disability can compete on merit for the new positions.

Agencies that are relocating need to acknowledge that there may be additional difficulties faced by an employee with a disability with higher personal transport and relocation costs. Arranging for transfer to another more accessible agency may be an option.

It is important that people with a disability are provided opportunities, such as acting in other positions, to develop skills to compete competitively for restructured positions.

10. Privacy

Managers need to respect that an employee with a disability has a right to privacy and confidentiality. Adjustments may be recorded in an aggregate format in the agency annual and quarterly workforce census.