Reasonable adjustments
For more information, visit the Parkinson’s UK website (last updated November 2021).
Some people with Parkinson’s may find it more difficult to carry out their work, compared to employees without a disability. By law, an employer must help an employee with a condition like Parkinson’s to overcome any problems they have by making changes to working arrangements. These changes are called ‘reasonable adjustments‘.
Reasonable adjustments may include:
- making changes to the building you work in
- making changes to your role
- changing or offering more flexibility with your working hours
- offering you training
- providing or modifying equipment you use, such as computer adaptations, large button telephones or adjustable chairs
How do I ask for reasonable adjustments?
If you’re having problems doing your job or parts of your job, the first thing to do is to talk to your manager. If you need adjustments then you will need to tell them that you have a disability, but you don’t have to tell them you have Parkinson’s if you don’t want to.
Try to explain which part of your job is causing you a problem and what that problem is. For example, you may have difficulties travelling to work on public transport during rush hour because you can’t get a seat and find it hard to stand for long periods of time.
Don’t worry if you don’t have any suggestions for what reasonable adjustments may help you. Your manager can arrange for you to have an assessment with an occupational health specialist to find out what your problems are and to make suggestions for how to solve them.
What if my manager doesn’t know what to do, or does nothing?
If your manager doesn’t do anything to make the reasonable adjustments you need, you should contact the human resources department and explain your situation.
When considering whether it is reasonable to make a particular adjustment, your employer should take the following into account:
- Will the adjustment help you to do your job?
- How practical is the adjustment?
- What will the effect of the adjustment be?
- How much will the changes cost the business, financially or otherwise?
- Would the changes be disruptive to your employer’s business?
- Is there any financial or other assistance available to help make reasonable adjustments?
If your employer is a member of the Business Disability Forum, ask your manager to look at the website or call the advice line for practical advice on what to do, as well as information on what the law says.
Can I use reasonable adjustments as and when I need them?
Because Parkinson’s is a fluctuating condition, you may find it easier to manage your symptoms on some days more than others. If you decide to tell your employer about your condition, it may help to make sure they understand that this is a big part of life with Parkinson’s.
Depending on what you do and what your needs are, it may be possible for you to temporarily change the way you work when you are struggling. For example, you could discuss the following with your employer:
- Working from home from time to time.
- Using taxis instead of public transport to take you to out-of-office meetings.
- Using teleconference or video calls rather than going to meetings in person.
- Temporarily changing your duties so that you concentrate on the things you can do.
- Temporarily doing flexible hours to help you work around the times of day when you’re feeling less able.
What are workplace adjustment agreements?
When you and your manager have agreed on some reasonable adjustments, it’s a good idea to put them in writing. This is often referred to as a ‘tailored adjustment agreement‘ or ‘workplace adjustment agreement‘.
The purpose of recording this agreement is to:
- make sure that you and your employer have an accurate record of what has been agreed
- make it easier to continue your reasonable adjustments if you change jobs, move to a new location in the organisation, or get a new manager
- give you and your line manager a chance to discuss your reasonable adjustments at any future meetings, such as your regular catch-ups or one to ones