Disability
The Equality Act 2010 requires public bodies to:
- eliminate unlawful disability discrimination. The Equality Act 2010 also means the ban on direct discrimination will now apply in other areas, such as access to goods and services
- eliminate unlawful harassment or victimisation of disabled people
- promote equality of opportunity for disabled people
- take steps to take account of a persons' disabilities (make reasonable adjustments)
- promote positive attitudes towards disabled persons and encourage participation in public life.
To qualify for protection from discrimination, a disabled person no longer has to show that their impairment affects a particular 'capacity', such as:
- mobility
- speech
- hearing
- eyesight.
There is also a new provision which makes it unlawful, except in certain circumstances, for employers to ask about a candidate's health before offering them work.
The Act also includes a new form of disability discrimination: discrimination arising from disability. This states that it is discriminatory to treat a disabled person unfavourably because of something connected with their disability.
Slough Borough Council has an Employees with Disabilities forum which works to raise awareness of disabilities for employees delivering services to the residents of Slough and to eliminate disability discrimination against employees working at SBC and against our contractors.