These guidelines provide information, practical examples and references to help employers deliver on their obligation to provide reasonable accommodation to disabled workers. It has been prepared with the help of the members of the Disability Platform, including Autism-Europe, and social partners who provided not only suggestions but also examples of good practices. The guideline is intended to serve as a valuable resource for adjusting workplace practices to better support the general workforce, and to create a more inclusive and accommodating work environment for all employees, irrespective of their abilities.
Reasonable accommodation has been an obligation for employers under EU law since 2000. An unjustified failure to provide reasonable accommodation may qualify as a prohibited form of disability discrimination under national or European non-discrimination law, as well as under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Yet neither the concept nor the practice is well understood across the EU, and people do not always know where to find information and support. These guidelines provide information, practical examples and references to help employers meet this requirement. It has been prepared with the help of the members of the Disability Platform, including Autism-Europe, and social partners who provided not only suggestions but also examples of good practices. The guidelines could serve as a valuable resource for adjusting workplace practices to better support the general workforce, and to create a more inclusive and accommodating work environment for all employees, irrespective of their abilities.
Whether you are an employer or company owner, a manager or team leader, a human resources specialist, or simply a co-worker, the practical insights and examples of good practice contained in this brochure should inspire you in recruiting, employing and retaining persons with disabilities using accommodations or adjustments that benefit both employees and employers. Knowing the practicalities of reasonable accommodation and the background to it will put you in a better position to embrace the abilities and contributions of staff with disabilities, thus enriching the workplace and benefiting your organisation.
The guidelines are primarily for employers, but they are also highly relevant to a variety of stakeholders such as employers’ associations, trade unions, public authorities, equality bodies, civil society and persons with disabilities.
The guidelines can be used:
- by employers’ associations to foster a culture of inclusivity among their member organisations, and promote a shared philosophy of accommodation and equal opportunities;
- by trade unions and civil society to advocate for more inclusive labour practices, heightening awareness and understanding of the vital need for reasonable accommodation;
- by public authorities to shape policy, enhance regulatory frameworks, and inform their strategies for promoting workplace inclusivity; and lastly;
- by persons with disabilities to better understand their rights and the accommodations they can expect in the workplace, and to advocate for their requirements effectively.
Guidelines on reasonable accommodation are published in both online and booklet versions.
Publications catalogue – Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion – European Commission (europa.eu)