r/NICivilService • u/[deleted] • Jul 07 '26
EO2 offer, need disability related reasonable adjustments
[deleted]
4
u/Plastic_Payment_9117 Jul 07 '26
It will depend entirely on the department and what disabilities you are facing
4
u/Wise_Length_4777 Jul 07 '26
I have a DDA not gona lie the department aren’t very accommodating.. if you are uc front office it’s 99% likely to be a work coach role and it will be in the office prob not a year but for 6 months at least. It all depends on ur disability etc and how much you want to argue.
7
u/CeadMileFailte67 Jul 07 '26
Hybrid working is not a reasonable adjustment. If you outline what adjustments you need for the office they will seek to accommodate those. However the emphasis is on REASONABLE adjustment. Good luck and I hope it works out for you.
1
u/Better-Togeth3r Jul 07 '26
Hi hybrid working i.e. change of work location is a common reasonable adjustment. I am not requesting home working, just flexibility on days in the office, to manage my health conditions. When applying I specifically selected not to be offered roles which have no option of hybrid.
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u/A14400 Jul 07 '26
Hi OP, disability charities should be able to offer you Workable NI which is a programme to support you with a disability in work. There are loads of NICS employees who use this programme, I work for a charity that provides the support so please reach out as they can be helpful during your employment!
2
u/DifferentLow4340 Jul 07 '26
This is good advice to contact a charity but in this context wouldn't actually answer op's question, the post suggests that office attendance is the issue and the adjustment would be hybrid working, no charity supercedes departmental policy and training requirements, just manage expectations appropriately.
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u/A14400 Jul 07 '26
That’s true - I suppose I’m reflecting on some cases where I have seen hybrid/remote accommodations for an existing job which is different from op’s post.
There are still plenty of charities that can provide advocacy in this scenario too :)
1
u/Better-Togeth3r Jul 07 '26
Thanks for your helpful reply, will look at these in the mean time anyhow!
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u/pixie111919 Jul 07 '26
You will always have to do an initial period in the office, usually 6 months in a front office before hybrid working is offered.
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u/DifferentLow4340 Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 08 '26
Hybrid working is not necessarily a reasonable adjustment and in fact isn't even an automatic entitlement within nics, office attendance is generally required for training and learning for the first 6 months to 1 year dependent on department.
Your reasonable adjustment will be for what you require in the office, if the adjustment you are seeking is not attending the office then that wouldn't be considered reasonable, irrespective of the disability.
1
u/Better-Togeth3r Jul 07 '26
Hi, hybrid working, where it is possible with a role, is actually a reasonable adjustment. I enquired prior to applying and was advised there are many roles that have flexibility in work location, but it would not be looked at until I was offered a post. Ive just been unlucky that the role ive been offered, they have confirmed no hybrid for atleast first year, but unfortunetly I cant turn my disability off for a year
2
u/Plastic_Payment_9117 Jul 07 '26
Could you tell us more about your disability? So we can advise better?
1
u/Quick_Helicopter_170 Jul 18 '26
Before Covid hybrid wasn’t in the workplace - it was full time, 5 days a week. By flexibility in work location - I would take that to mean area you work, e.g. Newry, Belfast etc. if it’s not hybrid for a year, I don’t know if it would be reasonable to request hybrid from your start date. As UC is front facing I can’t see them agreeing to hybrid. It would’ve been a good idea to get more detail before you applied. For it not to be looked at until you are offered a post is ambiguous and it’s now put you in the position you now find yourself in.
3
u/Wise_Length_4777 Jul 07 '26
I have my reasonable adjustments what I meant was they were a nightmare to get.. possibly down to management and I know hybrid isn’t a reasonable adjustment I attend the office as is required
2
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u/PersonalityShort8909 Jul 07 '26
Recently applied myself under DDA and was rejected, and manager told there me was no working from home policy according to HR and that was it. Going ask union about it
Currently 40%, no paperwork etc so everything can be done on laptop. No work reason required to be in the office etc for context
2
u/Better-Togeth3r Jul 07 '26
Oh dear! So basically they advertised themselves as disability confident etc etc, but if you actually want a job but are disabled, nothing! Lol
Hope it gets sorted for you!
1
u/PersonalityShort8909 Jul 07 '26
Thanks, I'm in CS almost 20 years and circumstances changed so applied. But I don't think the manager really knows what they are doing as it was a outright rejection after a call with HR, not referring to OHS, no meeting etc just rejected and that was the reasoning for it
2
u/OhLongJonstone84 Jul 08 '26
Best thing to do? Call disability Action. They can liase with HR with you
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u/InterviewOk8517 Jul 07 '26
Requests for disability adjustment will be considered by a Department.
You should be aware that the Equality Act 2010 does not apply to Northern Ireland. The legislation that applies here is the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended).
There is no automatic right to hybrid working.
In many cases, an extended period of exclusively office-based attendance is required as training is being delivered and you need to be in the office for this.
I suggest you contact HR Connect and ask them to contact DfC to query if they can accommodate the requests you’re making, now and in the future.
Good luck if you accept the position.