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Employing People With Disabilities

January 04, 2023

It is widely recognised that diversity in the workplace has numerous benefits. These benefits include a much broader employee perspective leading to greater innovation, creativity and decision-making, which in turn leads to a more profitable bottom-line. Part of having such a culture includes a focus on employing the right person for the role, regardless of any other factors including disability.


Employment legislation

Employers should be aware of the employment legislation that relates to equality in the workplace, which also provides protections for people with disabilities.

Employment Equality Acts, 1998 – 2005 sets out to eliminate discrimination in relation to employment and to provide a framework of enforcement to achieve this aim. This legislation and the Equal Status Act, 2000 – 2004, include nine grounds on which discrimination is prohibited, which include gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, age, disability, race, religion and membership of the traveller community.

Employers are prohibited from discriminating in relation to employment, conditions of employment, training or experience, promotion, training and equal pay.

There is one item to highlight in relation to preventing discrimination, which is Reasonable Accommodation. Reasonable Accommodation refers to an Employer’s responsibility to ensure facilities are put in place to allow a person with a disability to do their job. This includes the adaptation of premises and equipment, changing patterns of working time, redistribution of tasks or the provision of training or integration resources.  However, the Employer is not expected to provide any facility, treatment or item which the person would ordinarily provide for him/ herself.


Grants

There are a number of Government supports and grants available under the Reasonable Accommodation Fund to support workplaces to take appropriate measures to ensure that a person with a disability is provided with equal employment opportunities.

The following grants are provided:

  • Workplace Equipment Adaptation Grant - which funds premises adaptations, specialised equipment, and assistive technology training

  • Job Interview Interpreter Grant – which funds an interpreter to accompany a person with hearing loss or speech impairment to a job interview and/or induction training

  • Personal Reader Grant – which funds a personal reader to assist someone who is blind or visually impaired in their work

  • Employee Retention Grant – which helps Employers retain Employees who acquire a disability, funds identification of accommodations, training or re-training


It was announced that there was a review of the fund in order to improve it with a Public Consultation phase in April 2022.

There is also a Wage Subsidy Scheme available that provides financial support for Employers who wish to employ people with disabilities. There must be a minimum of 21 hours per week offered up to 39 hours. The wage subsidy paid to Employers who employ people with a disability is €6.30 per hour.