Manchester Metrpolitan University

Organisation Development, Training and Diversity

Checklist
for Line Managers
of Disabled Staff

This Checklist with accompanying

FAQs will make it easier for
managers to:
know of the type of support
available for disabled staff
at MMU;
Understand what reasonable
adjustments can be made in
the workplace to maximise the
potential of disabled employees;
be confident about managing
disabled colleagues; and
know where to go for more
detailed help or advice.

 Background
The Equality Act 2010 (EA) provides the legal framework that protects people1, including disabled
people, from discrimination. It replaces a range of anti-discrimination legislation, including the Disability
Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA).
1The new duty covers the following eight protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and
maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. People with those characteristics are referred to as protected
groups.

Benefits
Compliance with the Acts Public Sector Equality General Equality Duty is a legal obligation, but it also
makes good business sense. An organisation that is able to provide services to meet the diverse needs of
its users should find that it carries out its core business more efficiently. A workforce that has a supportive
working environment is more productive.
The University is continuing to work towards building a more inclusive culture. This resource is part of
that process and builds on the commitment in our Single Equality Scheme which is underpinned and
linked to our Equality & Diversity Policy.

Role of the Line Manager

In line with Manchester Metropolitan
Universitys commitment to embed equality
and diversity, the University sees the line
manager as an integral role in supporting
disabled employees and has therefore,
produced a checklist to assist line managers
of disabled staff with this responsibility.
The FAQs and Checklist will make it easier
for managers to:
know of the type of support available for
disabled staff at MMU;
Understand what reasonable adjustments
can be made in the workplace to maximise
the potential of disabled employees;
be confident about managing disabled
colleagues; and
know where to go for more detailed help
or advice.
The checklist can be used in combination with the Support for Disabled staff and Line Managers
FAQs which provides further information and can be found on the Equalities website.

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 Checklist
We recognise that disabled staff members may require some practical adjustments, support or guidance
to ensure, as far as possible, that they have equal access to everything the University can offer them.
Line managers play a significant role and can take a conscious approach in providing them with these.
Therefore, the University has produced this checklist to assist line managers of disabled staff with this
responsibility and to make the process as uncomplicated as possible.
NB. This checklist has been designed as a guide and is based on the premise that a member of staff has
disclosed that they are disabled. Not all items on the checklist will therefore be applicable to every case,
and in these situations the manager can indicate N/A.

Tick
or n/a

Checklist
During the recruitment & selection process, have you:
Followed the Code of Practice on Recruitment and Selection particularly
when drafting person specifications?
Eliminated any barriers throughout the recruitment process?
See EFD Guide: www.barrierfree-recruitment.com/recruit/stages.htm
Considered adjustments to tests, interview and assessments to accommodate disabled
candidates needs?
Highlighted/demonstrated the Universitys commitment to being a disability confident
employer (i.e. Two Ticks, and Disability Standard)?
During induction have you:
Discussed the support required in all aspects of the employees role and their
interactions with colleagues? Introduce and refer to the Support for Disabled Staff Guide.
Used the Managers Induction Checklist?
www.mmu.ac.uk/humanresources/policy/general.php
Considered using the MMU Buddy Scheme? www.mmu.ac.uk/humanresources/pdf/
general/guidelines-for-new-starter-buddy-or-mentor.pdf
Ensured employee is aware of the Equality and Diversity Policy and Single Equality
Scheme (SES)?
Made the employee aware of the Equality Fora (particularly the Disabled Staff Forum)?
When thinking about reasonable adjustments, have you:
Discussed if any reasonable adjustments required for the role?
(Consider asking staff to apply for further support/assessment from Access to Work within
6 weeks of commencing their new role).
Completed the Reasonable Adjustments Form (Appendix 1) for new and
existing staff?
Considered referral to Occupational Health via HR for assessment?

continued

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In line with health and safety, have you:

Checked whether the individual requires a personal emergency evacuation
plan (PEEP)?
If yes, then have you both discussed and completed the necessary PEEP forms?
Ensured employee is aware of the location of fire/first aid equipment?
Ensured employee is aware of the fire drill and alarm/location of fire exits/assembly points?
When recording absences, have you:
Referred to Managing Absence Policy and Procedure to clarify if any absence is
disability related leave or absence?
Made yourself and the employee aware of the Adverse Weather Policy?
When considering training & development, have you:
Attended the Disability Action Training for Managers?
Completed Managing Diversity E-learning via Moodle?
Completed other Management Essentials training?
www.mmu.ac.uk/humanresources/devandtrain/docs/mandatory-training-bookletmarch-2011-march-2012.pdf
When thinking about communication needs, have you:
Read the Etiquette and Inclusive Language Guide? (Appendix 2)
It is important that you understand a disabled member of staffs preferred style/method of
communication, so have you:
considered discussing different/alternative formats of communication with the employee?
read the guidelines for alternative formats?
www.mmu.ac.uk/sas/studentservices/learner-development/info-mmu-staff.php
Equipment
Where relevant, have you checked the proximity of printing and photocopying
facilities for disabled staff?
In relation to information technology (it), have you:
Ensured that any IT issues have been reported by the disabled employee so
that the IT Helpdesk can prioritise their problem (particularly in relation to any adaptive/
assistive technology being used by the employee)?
Supported the employee with ensuring that relevant IT colleagues have set up any assistive
technology e.g. Display settings, Dragon, Inspiration, TextHelp Read & Write, Accessibility
Wizard etc.
When discussing professional and personal development, have you:
Used the Professional Development Review Scheme as a further opportunity for discussion to
review arrangements and/or reasonable adjustments that have been made?
Encouraged/recorded development opportunities?
(refer to Professional and Personal Staff Development Policy and local processes)

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 Helpful contacts list

Human Resources Joanne Tracey is the Head of HR Operations which is a senior management;
she is a member of the Disabled Staff Forum and is also the lead for disability in the HR Operations Team.
She can be contacted via Email: j.tracey@mmu.ac.uk or Tel: 0161 247 3311
Equalities website: Disability related webpages:
www.mmu.ac.uk/humanresources/equalities/disability/
Library Guide for Disabled Users:
www.library.mmu.ac.uk/help/userguides/disabled/index.php
MMU Staff Policies:
www.mmu.ac.uk/humanresources/policy/general.php
Access to Work:
www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/Employmentsupport/WorkSchemesAndProgrammes/
DG_4000347
Employers Forum on Disability (EFD):
www.efd.org.uk/
Mind: For better mental health:
www.mind.org.uk/

For further information, please contact your:

HR Advisor:
Tel: 0161 247 3312
Email: www.mmu.ac.uk/humanresources/contact/
Web: www.mmu.ac.uk/humanresources/
Equality & Diversity Team:
Tel: 0161 247 3301
Email: Equalities@mmu.ac.uk
Web: www.mmu.ac.uk/humanresources/equalities/

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 Appendix 1
Reasonable Adjustment Form
(Individually tailored reasonable adjustments)
This Workplace adjustment agreement is a living record of reasonable adjustments agreed between a
disabled employee and their line manager.
The purpose of this agreement is to
Ensure that both parties, the individual and the employer, have an accurate record of what has been
agreed.
Minimise the need to re-negotiate reasonable adjustments every time the employee changes jobs, is
re-located or assigned a new manager within the organisation.
Provide employees and their line managers with the basis for discussions about reasonable
adjustments at future meetings.
This is a live document and should be reviewed regularly by both the employee and manager and
amended as appropriate. Remember, however, that expert advice from third parties, such as occupational
health, Access to Work, Health & Safety or IT specialists may be needed before changes can be agreed
and implemented. Managers who need help in deciding whether or not an adjustment is reasonable will
find it helpful to use the Guide for Line Managers of Disabled Staff or to seek advice from their HR
Advisor or the Equality & Diversity Team.
New managers of employees with such Workplace adjustment agreements should accept the adjustments
outlined in the agreement as reasonable and ensure that they continue to be implemented. The agreement
may need to be reviewed and amended at a later date but this should not happen until both parties have
worked together for a reasonable period of time.
The agreement allows the employee to:
Explain the impact of your disability on you at work.
Suggest adjustments that will make it easier for you to do your job.
Offer further information from your doctor, specialist or other expert.
Request an assessment by occupational health, Access to Work or another expert.
Review the effectiveness of the adjustments agreed.
Explain any change in your circumstances.
Be reassured that your manager knows what to do if you become unwell at work and who to contact if
necessary.
Know how and when your manager will keep in touch with you if you are absent from work because of
illness or a disability related reason.
The agreement allows the line manager to:
Understand how a particular employees disability affects them at work.
Explain the needs of the organisation.
Explain the MMUs sickness absence policy (and disability related absence).
Recognise signs that an employee might be unwell and know what the employee wants you to do in
these circumstances including who to contact for help.
Know how and when to stay in touch if the employee is off sick.
Consider whether or not the employee needs to be referred for an assessment by an occupational
health adviser to help both parties understand what adjustments are needed.
Review the effectiveness of the adjustments already agreed.
Explain any change in the employers circumstances.

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 Workplace adjustment agreement

This is a record of the reasonable adjustments agreed between [employees name] and [line manager name]
This agreement may be reviewed and amended as necessary with the agreement of both
parties:
At any regular one-to-one meeting (at least once a year).
At a return to work meeting following a period of sickness/disability related absence.
At six monthly and/or annual PDRs.
Before a change of job or duties or introduction of new technology or ways of working.
Before or after any change in disability/work circumstances for either party.

My disability in the workplace

My disability has the following impact on me at work

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I need the following agreed reasonable adjustments (refer to Access to

Work agreement/Occupational health recommendations if relevant)

Date budget holder

contacted if relevant:

Date implemented:

Reasonable Adjustments have been reviewed and none are needed

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 Wellness at work employees who have fluctuating mental or physical

conditions
On a good day my disability has the following impact on me at work:

When things are breaking down. The following symptoms are indications that I am not well enough to
be at work:

I will let you know if there are changes to my condition which have an effect on my work and/or if the
agreed adjustments are not working. We will then meet privately to discuss any further reasonable
adjustments or changes that should be made.
If you notice a change in my performance at work or feel these reasonable adjustments are not working
I would be happy to meet you privately to discuss what needs to be done.

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 Keeping in touch
If you are absent from work on sick leave or for a reason relating to your disability and have followed the
usual procedures for notifying the University (Absence Management Policy) of your absence I will keep
in contact with you in the following way:
Who will contact whom?

How will contact be made? (email, telephone, letter)

How often? (daily, weekly, monthly)

When? (preferred day, preferred time)

Conversations while you are on sick leave

These are the topics we have agreed we will discuss while you are absent, for example;
How you are feeling,
What I can do to help,
Current work,
Planned phased return to work,
Return to work date etc.

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 Return to work
When you are ready to return to work after a period of sickness or disability related absence of more than
[3] days we will meet to review this agreement and make any necessary amendments.
At this return to work meeting we will also discuss:
For example:
Current work issues.
A phased return/back to work plan.
What to tell the team.
Assessments to review existing reasonable adjustments (Access to Work, GP, occupational health)
and identify new adjustments that might be needed etc

Unauthorised absences from work

If you are absent from work and have not contacted the University for notifying us that you are sick or
absent for a reason relating to your disability we have agreed that I can seek confirmation about my
absence via the following:
For example;
Try to contact you on your mobile and/or notify your emergency contact whose up to date details are
available from HR or as follows:

An up-to-date copy of this form will be retained by employee/line manager/HR.

A copy of this form may also be given to a new or prospective line manager with the prior
consent of the employee.
Employee signature: Employer signature:
_____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Date: __________________________ Date:

__________________________
Template kindly provided by the EFD
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 Appendix 2
Etiquette Guide for Managers of Disabled Staff
In line with Manchester Metropolitan Universitys commitment to embed equality and diversity, the
University sees the line manager having an integral role in supporting disabled employees. This guide has
been produced to help managers to:
ensure a positive working environment for disabled people;
Provide appropriate support to disabled colleagues
Recognise and avoid the attitudes and behaviours that create barriers and misunderstandings;
Develop a greater understanding of the views and preferences of disabled people;
This guide complements the MMU Inclusive Communication Guide and can be used in combination
with the Checklist for Line Managers of Disabled Staff. They aim to provide the tools to help you
become more aware of the many different practices that may be required when dealing with a modern
diverse society.

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 Language and Disability

Language conveys powerful messages and can lead to inaccurate labelling so it is helpful to observe care
in your choice of words and to encourage all staff to be sensitive to their use of language too. Avoiding
expressions that turn adjectives into nouns e.g. the disabled which de-personalise, or which define
people in terms of their disability, such as epileptics, ensures that disabled people do not feel like a
victimised group. It is helpful to use positive images of disabled people in case studies etc. in order to
illustrate that disability is incidental to the activity being undertaken.
Preferred language is constantly in a state of flux, so it is essential that we use communication that is
inclusive in order to avoid the risk of unwittingly patronising, offending or excluding colleagues. The
following list, developed by disabled people helps to explain which language to use and which to avoid:
Disabled people prefer you to say

Instead of

A disabled person

Handicapped / Invalid / Retarded / Spastic

Disabled people

The disabled

Deaf without speech or hearing impairment

without speech

Deaf and dumb

She has which affects her.or has

e.g. She has arthritis which affects her mobility

Victim of... or suffering from...or afflicted by

A wheelchair user
Person who uses a wheelchair

Wheelchair bound or confined to a wheelchair

They have mental impairments or learning

difficulties

They are mentally handicapped

Accessible toilet and accessibility

Disabled toilet and disabled access

We have six people coming to the event and one

is a wheelchair user.

We have five people and a wheelchair coming to

the event

Mental health condition

Mad / mental / mentally ill / psycho

Seizures

Fits/ Spells / Attacks

Partially sighted / Visually impaired / blind person

Cant see / sight problem

Deaf
Hard of hearing/hearing loss or hearing-impaired
or partially deaf / Partially hearing

deaf and dumb or

deaf mute

Specific needs

Special needs

A person of a small stature or person with

restricted growth. (NB dwarf is still preferred by
some)

Midget /dwarf

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 Common Courtesies
Avoid attaching labels to people with or without impairments or make assumptions about the presence
or absence of impairment; some people have non-visible/hidden disabilities such as epilepsy or asthma.
Medical labels are misleading as no two people are alike. Medical labels tend to reinforce stereotypes of
disabled people as patients, powerless and dependent on the medical profession.
In the medical model of disability, disabled people are seen as the problem. They need to change and
adapt to circumstances (if they can), and there is no suggestion that society needs to change.
The social model has been developed by disabled people. In their view disability is caused by the
(inadvertent or deliberate) barriers that exist within society and the way society is organised, which
discriminates against people with impairments and excludes them from involvement and participation.
The University wholly supports the Social Model of disability.
Here are some suggestions to consider:
Everyone is an individual, disabled people do not constitute a group apart so it is best practice not to
use the word disabled as a noun (the disabled) as it implies a homogenous group separate from the rest
of society.
It is helpful to offer assistance to a disabled person, as appropriate, but it is better to wait until your
offer has been accepted before you help. Listen or ask for specific instructions e.g. if the person asks
for assistance, then ask May I offer you an arm? rather than taking their arm.
It is fine to make appropriate physical contact with disabled people according to the situation in
the same way you would with anyone else e.g. shaking hands with someone you have just been
introduced to (feel free to say shall we shake hands? to anyone with a visual impairment).
Sometimes its easy to feel embarrassed about using common expressions such as I see what you
mean or Id best run along which may relate to a persons impairment, but there is no need to be.
It is also much more polite to make eye contact and speak directly to the disabled person rather than
through a companion/carer/ interpreter and try to position yourself so you are at the same level.
Try to avoid asking personal questions about someones disability unless you need to.
Be considerate of the extra time it might take for a disabled person to respond to certain forms of
communication.
When planning a meeting, team building event or any other event, anticipate specific accommodations
and/or adjustments for disabled people. If a barrier cannot be avoided, let the person know ahead of
the time the reason why adjustments cannot be made.
Managing meetings so that they are inclusive makes sense for all involved (not just those who are
disabled), some examples include:
not allowing people to talk over each other;
making it standard practice to ensure everyone goes round the table introducing themselves to
each other at the beginning of a meeting;
Avoiding combining meals with meetings try to keep these separate.
Managers are not expected to be highly trained disability experts in order to achieve positive results.
They need only take a common sense approach and know where to go for additional help if necessary. The
disabled person is usually the best person to start with when one is trying to establish what their needs
are and what possible solutions exist.

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 Further Information
The Employers Forum for Disability (EFD) Disability Communication Guide:
This Guide helps human resources managers, line managers and all other staff feel at ease when they are
communicating with disabled colleagues and customers.
Hard copies of the booklet are available from the E&D Team.
Contact the Equality & Diversity Team:
Tel: 0161 247 6417 or
Email: Equalities@mmu.ac.uk

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