Tag: disability

TUC survey: 7 in 10 disabled women say they’ve been sexually harassed at work

  • TUC publishes first UK major report into sexual harassment of disabled women at work 
  • Most disabled women surveyed told the TUC they have been sexually harassed at work – and 1 in 8 of those say they left their jobs because of this 
  • TUC calls for a new duty on employers to protect all their staff from sexual harassment at work 

Around 7 in 10 (68%) disabled women surveyed about sexual harassment say they have been sexually harassed at work, according to a new poll published by the TUC. 

And younger disabled women aged 18 to 34 are even more likely to have experienced sexual harassment, with almost 8 out of 10 (78%) reporting being harassed at work. 

Sexual harassment 

A ground-breaking TUC study on sexual harassment published in 2016 found that more than half (52%) of women had experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. And in a further TUC survey in 2019, nearly 7 in 10 (68%) lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people reported being sexually harassed at work 

Sexual harassment at work can take many forms, from suggestive remarks, jokes about a colleague’s sex life, circulating pornography, to inappropriate touching, hugging or kissing, demands for sexual favours, and even assault and rape. 

This new TUC survey – which is the first major study into the sexual harassment of disabled women at work in Great Britain, and was carried out by YouGov – found that of those surveyed: 

  • Around 2 in 5 (38%) have experienced unwelcome sexual advances at work. 
  • More than 1 in 3 (36%) say they have experienced unwanted touching. 
  • Almost 1 in 5 (18%) experienced sexual assault, such as unwanted sexual touching. 
  • And 1 in 25 (4%) have experienced a serious sexual assault or rape at work. 

Reporting 

Two-thirds (67%) of disabled women who experienced sexual harassment at work told the TUC that they did not report the harassment to their boss the most recent time it happened. Of these, the most common reason was that they did not believe they would be taken seriously (39%). 

Some said they were worried it would have a negative impact on their career or work relationships (30%). Other reasons included not thinking they would be believed (13%) or thinking they would be blamed if they reported the incident (11%). 

And unfortunately, of those who did report the most recent instance of sexual harassment, more than half (53%) said it was not dealt with satisfactorily. 

Impact 

Disabled women told the TUC that sexual harassment had a big effect on their lives. 

Around 1 in 3 (34%) said their experiences had a negative impact on their mental health. More than 1 in 5 (21%) said it negatively affected their relationships with colleagues. And it caused 1 in 8 (12%) to leave their job or employer entirely.  

Disabled women face significant barriers getting into work and to getting paid the same as non-disabled workers, says the TUC. 

TUC research in October 2020 found that disabled women earned 36% less than non-disabled men. And the analysis found that the unemployment gap for disabled women, when compared to non-disabled men was 32.6 percentage points. 

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “No one should face sexual harassment at work. But seven in ten disabled women say they have been sexually harassed by a colleague or a customer while at work.  

“Four years on from the explosion of #MeToo on a global scale, employers still aren’t doing enough to make sure women are safe at work. It’s time for every employer to take responsibility for protecting their staff from sexual harassment.  

“Ministers must change the law to make employers protect workers from sexual harassment specifically, and from all forms of harassment by customers and clients.  

“Anyone worried about sexual harassment at work should get in touch with their union.” 

Ministers must act 

The TUC is calling on the government to take a range of actions including: 

  • Introduce a new duty to prevent sexual harassment, putting an enforceable legal requirement on all employers to protect their workers from harassment. 
  • Strengthen legislation to tackle third-party harassment in the upcoming employment bill. 
  • Increase funding for the Equality and Human Rights Commission so it can enforce the new duty to prevent sexual harassment. 
  • Introduce a statutory code of practice on sexual harassment and harassment at work, setting out the steps that employers should take to prevent and respond to sexual harassment, and what can be considered in evidence when determining whether the duty has been breached. 

TUC calls for long Covid to be recognised as a disability to prevent “massive” discrimination

The TUC has called for long Covid to be urgently recognised as a disability and Covid-19 as an occupational disease, to give workers access to legal protections and compensation.

The call comes as the TUC publishes an in-depth report on workers’ experiences of long Covid during the pandemic.

More than 3,500 workers responded to a TUC survey on the impact of long Covid on people’s daily working lives.

The survey reveals that, of those surveyed:

  • Nearly 3 in 10 (29 per cent) have experienced symptoms lasting longer than a year.
  • More than 9 in 10 (95 per cent) have been left with ongoing symptoms.
  • A clear majority had experienced side effects including brain fog (72 per cent), shortness of breath (70 per cent), difficulty concentrating (62 per cent) and memory problems (54 per cent).
  • Over half (52 per cent) had experienced some form of discrimination or disadvantage due to their condition.

The report highlights how frontline workers have been disproportionately affected by long Covid.

Over three-quarters (79 per cent) of those who responded to the TUC’s survey identify themselves as key workers, with the majority working in either education or health and social care.

More than two-thirds (68 per cent) of respondents were women. 

Long Covid in the workplace

The report reveals the extent of discrimination in the workplace towards those with long Covid.

Over half (52 per cent) of respondents said they had experienced some form of discrimination or disadvantage due to their condition.

Workers told the TUC how they were faced with disbelief and suspicion when they disclosed their symptoms:

  • Around a fifth (19 per cent) said their employer had questioned the impact of their symptoms.
  • One in eight (13 per cent) faced questions from their employer about whether they had long Covid at all.
  • One in 20 respondents (5 per cent) said they had been forced out of their jobs altogether because they had long Covid. 

Respondents described the difficulties that they faced trying to work while experiencing a range of long Covid symptoms.

One person – who contracted Covid-19 at work – said that when their employer went ahead with an international event in the first wave of the pandemic: “I was still expected to work long hours, handle stressful situations in impossible timeframes, find and fill in forms (which I struggled to do because of cognitive issues), and spend hours on Zoom calls when I struggled to talk and breathe, resulting in extreme chest pain, shortness of breath, exhaustion and severe symptom relapses.”

Respondents were also concerned about what the future might hold for them at work given the amount of sick leave they had been forced to take due to their long Covid symptoms.

Around one in six respondents (18 per cent) said the amount of sick leave they had taken had triggered absence management or HR processes.

New rights and protections for those with long Covid

The TUC is calling for the government to urgently recognise long Covid as a disability under the Equality Act.

The Equality Act 2010 defines disability as a “physical or mental impairment…[that] has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on [their] ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities”. Government guidance makes clear that ‘long-term’ means 12 months or more.

The TUC says that many who have long Covid already meet this criteria and should therefore be protected under the law rather than forced to go through the stress of employment tribunals.

Extending Equality Act 2010 protections so they cover workers with long Covid would ensure employers cannot legally discriminate against them. It would also put a duty on employers to make reasonable adjustments that remove, reduce or prevent any disadvantages workers with long Covid face, as for any other enduring condition or disability.  

In addition, the union body is calling on ministers to recognise Covid-19 as an occupational disease – entitling employees and their dependents to protection and compensation if they contracted the virus while working.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Many of the workers who have carried us through the pandemic are now living with debilitating symptoms of long Covid. And we’re beginning to hear troubling stories of a massive wave of discrimination against people with long Covid.  

“It’s time to recognise this condition properly – and make sure workers who are living with long Covid get the support they need to do their jobs.

“Long Covid must be recognised as a disability. That would mean workers are protected by the Equality Act, and would have a right to get reasonable adjustments at work.

“And Covid-19 should be designated as an occupational disease. That would allow workers who contracted Covid-19 at work and are living with the consequences to claim the compensation they are due.  

“Employers must also act. They should make sure they make reasonable adjustments for workers with long Covid, and complete specific risk assessments to make sure workers with long Covid are safe at work.” 

Lesley Macniven, Chair of the Long Covid Support Group, who worked with the TUC on its report, said: “Even those with ‘mild’ Covid can suffer daily with fluctuating symptoms, exhausted and alone. Promises we’ll ‘just get better’ have been proved otherwise.

“A year on we need legally enforceable guidance for employers and government – informed by unions, occupational health and patient groups with significant lived experience managing long Covid.

“Patients need time to convalesce, then recuperate through a very gradual, flexible phased return to work, over months, to achieve a sustainable return.

“Long Covid is disabling young, previously healthy workers. This key step is needed to take the effects of long Covid seriously, enable rehabilitation and protect dedicated workers from discrimination due to poor understanding of the condition.”

Formatted-version-of-Long-Covid-report-v1.3-1Download

Over 190,000 disabled people in Scotland are eligible for worry-free motoring

The Motability Scheme looks to increase awareness in the county as it pilots its first ever national campaign

Everyday activities like going to the supermarket, visiting friends or popping out for a change of scenery can often require a car and 191,860 people with disabilities in Scotland could benefit from the everyday freedom offered by leasing a vehicle on the Motability Scheme.

In response to this, the Motability Scheme has launched its first ever national television advert alongside a print, digital and PR campaign. This ‘Everyday Freedom’ campaign aims to boost awareness and understanding of the Scheme amongst those who are eligible to join and their families.

The Motability Scheme has spent over 40 years supporting people to maintain their independence by providing affordable, reliable cars to those with disabilities. In Scotland, 64,431 people are already enjoying the benefits of a worry-free lease package through the Motability Scheme.

After a successful regional pilot, the national pilot sees the Motability Scheme’s television advert run across ITV, Channel 4 and selected Sky channels for around three months and can be viewed here.

This is being supported by radio, print, digital and PR activity with a range of related content on social channels.

https://youtu.be/AAQg-OXej1E

Delia Ray, head of marketing for Motability Operations, which operates the Scheme under contract to Motability, a national disability charity, said: “We are proud to be providing worry-free mobility to over 630,000 customers across the UK. However, we know that over a million more people with qualifying allowances could also benefit from the Scheme, but many are unaware of how it could help them. This includes the 190,000 eligible people in Scotland.

“This campaign therefore aims to showcase what the Scheme offers to many more people with disabilities, and their families and carers, encouraging them to find out more. And television, with its powerful impact and potential to reach many thousands of viewers, is at the heart of this. 

“When customers talk about the impact of the Scheme, they frequently use words such as independence and freedom. It is this essence that has inspired our Everyday Freedom campaign, and we’re excited to be sharing it with more people this spring.”

Through the Motability Scheme, recipients of the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment, Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance, War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement or Armed Forces Independence Payment can choose to exchange their weekly allowance to lease a new vehicle. 

Leasing a car, scooter or powered wheelchair through the Motability Scheme is simple and affordable. The three-year vehicle lease package includes insurance for up to three named drivers, RAC breakdown assistance, vehicle servicing and maintenance, as well as tyre and windscreen repair and replacement.

Motability Operations, the company which operates the Scheme under contract to Motability, the Charity, offers affordable, convenient, worry-free motoring to over 630,000 disabled customers and their families.

It has built a strong reputation, achieving high standards for customer service and engagement, and provides cars, powered wheelchairs and scooters that lead the way in value-for-money, effectiveness and reliability. It pays no shareholder dividends, meaning that all profits are reinvested for the benefit of people with disabilities.

Please visit motability.co.uk for more information or call 0800 953 7000.

Disability charity calls for public support in #ISeePurple campaign

One in two disabled people feel lonely 

One in five are not connected to the internet, missing out on a simple way to keep in touch with friends and loved ones

Everyone is asked to show solidarity by posting purple pictures

With just four simple steps, more disabled people could get online for Christmas

The UK’s leading disability charity, Leonard Cheshire, is calling on the public to take part in a new social media campaign, raising money to help disabled people get connected with their loved ones at Christmas. 

To combat the loneliness around half disabled people feel, LeonardCheshire is asking everyone to show how they see purple, the recognised colour of disability. Posting a purple themed picture, connecting with four friends to do the same, and donating £5, can help a disabled person who feels isolated get online this Christmas. 

There are four simple steps to get involved: 

  • Post a picture incorporating the colour purple
  • Use the hashtag #ISeePurple
  • Donate £5 to Leonard Cheshire
  • Tag four friends to do the same

Just £25 is enough to get a disabled person online. Launching the campaign ahead of International Day of Persons with Disability 2020 (3rdDecember), Leonard Cheshire is inviting the public to show how they see purple, whether that’s through their clothing, make-up, furniture, or just out and about in their day-to-day lives.

The coronavirus pandemic means many of us are feeling more isolated.  But for one in two disabled people loneliness can be an everyday reality. One in five people with a disability have no access to the internet. Around half don’t have a computer or smartphone. With lockdown restrictions in place, many disabled people face a lonely Christmas[1].

Hugh Fenn, managing director of UK services at Leonard Cheshire said: “It’s been a tough, and lonely, time for us all. No one has felt the impact of this pandemic more than disabled people.

“Technology can help the people we support keep connected and feel less lonely in these challenging times, which is why our #ISeePurple campaign is raising funds ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3rd.”

Donations can be made via: 

https://www.leonardcheshire.org/get-involved/donate/make-a-donation

“Dehumanising” – Airports failing to meet the needs of disabled travellers

Passengers with reduced mobility are sometimes being left humiliated, deprived of their dignity and in some cases even physically hurt when travelling through airports, putting them off flying altogether, a new Which? investigation has found. Continue reading “Dehumanising” – Airports failing to meet the needs of disabled travellers

Person-centred reform to disability payments “will reduce anxiety and stress”

A sea change in social security policy to reduce the anxiety and stress associated with the current UK Government disability payments process has been given strong public support.

A consultation found that Scottish Government proposals for a person-centred approach was favoured over the current ‘one-size-fits-all’ system of the UK Government.

The new Scottish social security system has fairness, dignity and respect designed in from the start. Measures will include:

  • face-to-face pre-application support delivered across the country
  • a multi-channel approach for submitting applications, including telephone, paper-based and face-to-face
  • clear eligibility criteria
  • simplified application form
  • enhanced role for carers in provision of evidence
  • greater choice and control over the timing and locations of assessment, with home-based assessments provided where required
  • profit making companies will not be involved in carrying out assessments for disability payments

This contrasts with the UK Government system which users have criticised for having complicated and inaccessible application routes, unnecessary face-to-face assessments and inaccurate reports.

Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I have heard from far too many ill and disabled people who currently know only of stigma, stress and anxiety when it comes to accessing welfare support and fear the ‘dreaded brown envelope’ from the Department for Work and Pensions. 

“That is why I want a sea change in accessing disability payments. A new system designed from the ground up – together with users themselves – that puts people first.

“We are supporting people to access the financial support they are entitled to and actively seeking to move away from the stigma of benefits to recognise they are an investment in our people.

“That means a process that is clear and accessible from start to finish and ensures people understand how and when their application will be dealt with.

“It is part of our promise to the people of Scotland that our social security system is a public service and will treat everybody with fairness, dignity and respect.”

Disability Assistance in Scotland

Disability Assistance Consultation responses

 

 

Edinburgh Printmakers embracing tech to help disabled visitors

An Edinburgh-based art gallery and studio has adopted new technology to improve customer experiences for disabled visitors.

Edinburgh Printmakers, which is home to a gallery, printmaking studio and café, is one of the latest businesses to have subscribed to ‘Welcome’ by Neatebox.  The innovative platform, which was developed by former guide dog mobility instructor Gavin Neate allows users to notify venues ahead of their arrival and request additional support if needed. Continue reading Edinburgh Printmakers embracing tech to help disabled visitors

Support for automatic access to Blue Badge Scheme for people with MND

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has given his support to the campaign for people with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) to receive automatic access to the Blue Badge scheme. Continue reading Support for automatic access to Blue Badge Scheme for people with MND