Reasonable adjustments at work

A reasonable adjustment request should explain the work barrier and the change that may reduce it. In Great Britain, the duty concerns disability-related disadvantage and is assessed in the particular workplace circumstances. ^[1]

Describe the task that is difficult

Identify the activity, environment or rule causing the problem: a noisy workspace, rigid start time, inaccessible software or a particular communication method. Explain frequency and effect without feeling obliged to circulate your full medical history to everyone involved.

Suggest workable changes and identify any advice from occupational health or a treating professional. A diagnosis can provide context, but the employer also needs to understand the functional difficulty and proposed support.

Agree implementation and review

Ask who will authorise the adjustment, when it will begin and how its effectiveness will be assessed. Record temporary arrangements and any equipment or training needed. A trial should have a clear review point rather than becoming an indefinite reason to avoid a decision.

If a request is refused, ask for the explanation and alternatives considered. Sickness-related communication may require adjustments of its own; a discrimination chronology helps record requests, knowledge and responses where a dispute develops.

Describe the barrier in terms of work activity Explain what happens when you carry out a particular task or follow a workplace rule. Identify the frequency, duration and consequence of the difficulty, including fluctuations. For example, a communication barrier may arise in rapid verbal briefings rather than in all meetings. This level of detail helps the employer consider a targeted change. A diagnosis can support understanding, but it does not describe every person's experience or identify automatically which adjustment will work in a particular role and environment.

Distinguish essential duties from the way they are currently organised. You may be able to perform the same work with different equipment, a modified schedule, clearer instructions or a change in location. Explain what has helped previously and any limits to that experience. Avoid promising an outcome that cannot yet be known. Acas describes reasonable adjustments as changes addressing disability-related disadvantage. ^[1] The request should connect the proposed change to the barrier rather than presenting an unconnected preference as though it resolves the difficulty.

Share useful information through an appropriate channel Ask who needs information to assess and implement the request. HR, occupational health and the line manager may need different details. Explain functional effects and relevant recommendations without distributing an entire medical history to everyone involved in scheduling or equipment purchase. If a report is sought, ask about its purpose, the questions to be answered and how it will be handled. Keep copies of the information you supply so later discussions can be based on what was actually communicated at the relevant time.

If the condition or its workplace effect changes, update the employer with the practical consequence. A previously successful arrangement may stop working after new software, a move of premises or a change in duties. Record the change and ask for a review rather than assuming the original approval covers every later barrier. Where the employer already has relevant information, identify it clearly instead of repeatedly resending sensitive documents. The communication record should show the developing need and response without creating unnecessary copies of private health material.

Agree a workable implementation plan Specify the change requested, the intended start and any equipment, training or coordination needed. Ask who can approve it and who will carry it out. If procurement will take time, discuss an interim arrangement that addresses the immediate difficulty. A promise to consider support is different from a functioning adjustment. Keep the decision and responsibilities in writing so a change of manager does not leave you having to renegotiate an arrangement that has already been agreed but was never communicated to the people responsible.

For a trial, agree what will be reviewed and when. Use measures connected to the barrier, such as whether written instructions reduce missed information or whether a changed start time enables reliable attendance. Do not treat the trial as a guarantee that the employee must perform without any further support. If the arrangement affects colleagues or customers, discuss practical coordination while keeping the disability information proportionate. A well-defined review can identify refinement rather than turning an inconclusive first week into a permanent refusal of assistance.

Respond constructively to refusal or delay Ask for the reason a proposal is considered unsuitable and what alternatives have been examined. If the explanation rests on an inaccurate assumption about cost, duties or availability, provide the correction. Where the employer requests more information, ask precisely what is needed and why. Keep dates and responses, including periods when no decision is made. A refusal, implementation failure and an adjustment that proves ineffective are different problems; identifying which has occurred helps an adviser assess the appropriate response rather than treating them as one undifferentiated dispute.

If a grievance, absence process or performance review is taking place, consider whether participation in that process itself needs adjustment. Keep that request distinct from support for ordinary duties. A flexible working application may also be relevant, but its statutory request procedure should not be assumed to replace the disability adjustment duty. Seek advice where the barrier remains unresolved or adverse treatment follows. Provide the work description, requests, medical recommendations where relevant and employer explanations so the assessment can focus on the actual disadvantage and possible remedies.