Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 19
19
Deferred
Paragraph: 88
The introduction of an online information hub for employers is an initial step in the...
Recommendation
The introduction of an online information hub for employers is an initial step in the right direction. We urge the Government to ensure that its information and advice service goes live as planned no later than August 2021. DWP must ensure that this hub contains clear guidance for employers about their legal obligation to provide reasonable adjustments and about how to implement them. It should also provide guidance to employers about interpreting the definition of disability in the Equality Act, with a particular focus on how its provisions apply to people with mental health conditions. We were encouraged to hear that some employers have taken positive steps to support disabled employees but remain concerned that not all employers are taking their responsibilities seriously. The Government should also consider adopting more severe punitive measures, such as “naming and shaming”, for employers who continue to breach the law.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government states it will review and strengthen the Disability Confident scheme (Levels 2 and 3) by working with key stakeholders and commissioning an employer insight survey, rather than directly committing to the specific content of an online information hub or considering punitive measures as recommended.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
88
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
As planned, in October 2021 Government entered private live testing of an early version of a service to support employers managing health and disability in the workplace. This is designed to help prevent avoidable job loss on grounds of health or disability, by addressing knowledge and skills gaps of employers (especially small businesses, who are less likely to have in-house HR support, or to use OH services). This is being developed directly with SME employers, to meet their needs to bring relevant information together to reduce search and navigation challenges and providing information in a format which is easy to understand and act upon. This will include information on legal obligations and mental health. Over the coming weeks we will use employer feedback from the private live testing stage to refine the service, before, subject to test findings, entering a wider phase of public live testing. Again, subject to findings and funding, we expect to continue to develop the service, adding and iterating features in response to employer feedback. The service links to information from multiple Government domains and we are working collaboratively with our cross-Government ‘service community’ (health and work content and policy leads in other departments and Arm’s Length Bodies) to develop this service and improve the overall information landscape. The Disability Confident scheme provides access to a range of advice, guidance, case- studies, and videos that can support employers to understand how they can better support disabled people in the workplace. As announced in the National Disability Strategy, Acas have recently launched a ‘Disability at Work’ page which contains clear, accessible information and advice on employment rights for disabled people – from reasonable adjustments to discrimination in the workplace. https://www.acas.org.uk/disability-at-work Access to Work
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