Working with disability policy and procedures

What is Disability?

The Disability Inclusion Act 2018 (SA) defines disability in relation to a person as including long-term physical, psycho-social, intellectual, cognitive, neurological or sensory impairment, or a combination of any of these impairments, which in interaction with various barriers may hinder the person’s full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

Disability etiquette

The tips in this fact sheet are based on what is currently broadly accepted in Australia. It is important to remember that everyone is different and will have their own preferences. When communicating with a person with a disability, you should ask the person what works for them, and respect their wishes.

Basic tips

• Avoid asking personal questions about someone's disability.

• Be considerate of the extra time it might take for a person to do or say something.

• Be polite and patient when offering assistance, and wait until your offer is accepted. Listen or ask for specific instructions. Be prepared for your offer to be refused.

• Relax. Anyone can make mistakes. Offer an apology if you feel you’ve caused embarrassment.  Keep a sense of humour and be willing to communicate.

Speaking or writing

• The following terms should be avoided because they can have negative meanings:  invalid, able-bodied, wheelchair-bound, victim, crippled, defect, suffers from, handicap, a patient.

• Avoid terms that imply that people with disability are overly courageous, brave, special, such as “inspirational”. The late Stella Young addresses this idea in her 2014 TED Talk, I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much.

For more information on speaking or writing, read our Inclusive Language factsheet.
Face to face communication

• Use a normal tone of voice when welcoming a person with disability. Do not raise your voice unless you are asked to.

• Shake hands even if the person has limited hand use or wears an artificial limb. A left-hand shake is acceptable. If the person cannot shake hands, acknowledge them with a smile and a spoken greeting.

• When planning a meeting or other event, think about specific accommodations a person with disability might need. If a barrier cannot be avoided, let the person know ahead of time. Our Event Accessibility Checklist is a useful resource for planning accessible events.

• Look and speak directly to the person with disability, not just to the people accompanying them, including interpreters.

• Don't patronise or talk down to people with disability. Treat people with respect and dignity.

• Be patient and give your undivided attention, especially with someone who speaks slowly or with great effort.

• Never pretend to understand what a person is saying if you don’t. Ask the person to repeat or rephrase, or offer them a pen and paper.

• If requested to by the individual, offer a person who is blind or has low vision your elbow or shoulder, to guide rather than propel them.

• It is okay to use common expressions like "see you soon" or "I'd better be running along".

Mental illness

People with mental illness may at times have difficulty dealing with the tasks and interactions of daily life. Their condition may interfere with their ability to feel, think or relate to others. One of the main obstacles they face is the attitudes that people have about them. Because it is a non-visible disability, chances are you will not even realise that the person has a mental health condition.

• Stress can affect a person's ability to function. Try to keep the pressure of any given situation to a minimum.

• People with mental illness may have different ways of coping with their disability. Some may have trouble picking up on social cues; others may be overly sensitive. One person may be very hyperactive, while someone else may appear lethargic. Treat each person as an individual. Ask what will make them most comfortable and respect their needs to the maximum extent possible.

Social events

Work-related social events are an important part of developing a healthy work environment. Social events do not just refer to the annual Christmas party or the family picnic day, but include things like Friday night drinks and sporting groups. Just like any other employee, employees with disability should be included in these events, with considerations made for issues such as:

• Access

• Transport/parking

• Toilet facilities

• Noise levels and

• Any other relevant factors.

Don’t assume that a person cannot or does not want to be involved simply because they have disability. Adjustments can almost always be made so that everyone can be included.

Examples of workplace adjustments

Now that you know all about workplace adjustments and where you can find support to make your workplace more flexible and accessible to employees with disability, here are some more examples of adjustments that may help your employees to perform at their best. 
Keep in mind that everyone's needs and capabilities are different. The most important thing you can do is to ask the person. 

For a person with a mobility impairment (including dexterity impairments)

• Ramps

• Scooter

• Stair lifts

• Automated doors

• Height-adjustable work stations

• Vehicle modifications (work-related)

• Accessible bathroom

• Accessible lift

• Handrails

• Accessible computer keyboards, mouses

• Adapted office furniture or equipment

• Speech-recognition (speech-to-text) software

For a person who is deaf or hard of hearing

• Hearing loops

• Vibrating or visual alarms

• Text Telephone (TTY) or Short Message Service (SMS) text messaging 

• Live captioning

• Auslan interpreters

• Video phones

• Subtitling

For a person who is blind or has low vision 

• Screen-magnification (e.g. ZoomText) or screen-reading software (e.g. JAWS)

• Magnification software for Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) and mobile phones 

• Braille machines and printers

• Video magnifiers for reading printed material

• Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSI)

• Contrasting work surfaces or trays

• Braille or tactile maps

For a person with a mental health condition

• Flexible working arrangements, e.g. working from home, working part-time, change of start/finish times

• Longer or more frequent breaks

• Partitioned area or private office to reduce noise/distractions

• Division of large projects into smaller tasks

• 'To-do' lists or checklists

• Regular meetings with supervisors

For a person with a learning disability (e.g. Dyslexia)

• Smartphones or PDAs, to assist with memory and planning

• Task cards

• ‘To-do’ lists or checklists

• Screen-reading software (e.g. JAWS)

• Speech-to-text dictation software

• Verbal instructions

For a person with a long-term or chronic health condition

• Cooling collars

• Air-conditioning

• Height-adjustable work stations

• Building modifications

• Changes to lighting, e.g. increased natural light, removal of fluorescent lighting

• Flexible working arrangements, for example working from home, working part-time.

• Progression planning may be required for degenerative conditions, e.g. car parks, ramps, lifts, bathroom modifications

Some of the most common workplace adjustments 

• Allowing a person with disability to have some flexibility in their working hours, such as working part-time or starting and finishing later

• Moving a person with disability to a different office, shop or site closer to their home or onto the ground floor, or allowing them to work from home

• Moving furniture, widening a doorway or providing a ramp so that a person using a wheelchair or other mobility aid can get around comfortably and safely

• Redistributing some minor duties (not inherent requirements of a job) that a person with disability finds difficult to do 

• Allowing a person with disability time off during working hours for rehabilitation, assessment or treatment (e.g. physiotherapy or psychotherapy appointments)

• Providing additional training, mentoring, supervision and support

• Purchasing or modifying equipment, such as speech recognition software for someone with vision impairment, an amplified phone for a person who is hard of hearing, or a digital recorder for someone who finds it difficult to take written notes

• Making changes to tests and interviews so that a person with disability can demonstrate their ability to do the job 

• Providing Auslan interpreters for a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, or readers who will read out documents for someone with low vision or learning disability

• Modifying disciplinary or grievance procedures 

Remember: Everyone's different; don't make assumptions about a person's needs or capabilities. The most important thing you can do is to ask the person. 
The majority of adjustments cost very little or nothing at all. However, funding for workplace adjustments is available for eligible employees through the JobAccess Employment Assistance Fund (EAF).

• Refer to a person's disability only when necessary and appropriate.
  Refer to the individual first, then to their disability (for example, “person with disability," rather than "disabled person").