The leading charity for people with visual impairments has given a cautious welcome to new laws on flexible working.
People will have the right to request adjustments from day one of a new job. The legislation has gained Royal Assent, meaning it is ready to come into law. Employers will be required to consider any proposals and provide a reason before rejection.
Sophie Dodgeon, head of policy and public affairs at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), said: “We welcome the progress of the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill. Just one in four registered blind and partially sighted people are in employment, and this hasn’t significantly changed in a generation.
“This Bill is a step towards more flexible working hours and choice of work locations which could help reduce barriers to employment for thousands of people with sight loss. However, it is only a start and more needs to be done to ensure employers follow the Bill’s ruling and are more open to short-notice requests for flexible working conditions.”
Flexibility in days or hours is one of the most common adjustments highlighted by blind and partially sighted people in work in RNIB research. Support from line managers has helped people who have lost their sight to stay in employment, the charity says. Measures such as reduced hours, fewer face to face meetings, working from home, less travel or a phased return to work help to ease the pressure on them as they adjust to sight loss.
People with disabilities currently have rights to request flexible working as a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010, but the right to request for all employees from day one could help to change the culture and attitude of employers by making it the default, the RNIB believes.