All Civil Service Departments/Offices are required to have a Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) whose role is to:
- Act as the point of contact for Civil Servants with disabilities, their managers and Personnel Units
- Assist and support Civil Servants with disabilities, in confidence, and their line managers by providing necessary information, appropriate contacts, guidance, suggestions and advice
- Assist in the implementation of best Human Resource practices in line with equality legislation
- Facilitate increased awareness of disability throughout the organisation
- Attend meetings of the Civil Service Disability Liaison officers Network
All Departments and Offices are required to appoint a DLO to assist and support staff with disabilities and their line managers by the provision of necessary information, appropriate contacts, guidance, suggestions and advice.
Public sector bodies are obliged under the Disability Act 2005
- To promote and support the employment of people with disabilities;
- To ensure, where practicable, that 3% of all staff employed are people with disabilities;
- To report every year on the number and percentage of employees with disabilities.
In order that the Civil Service can meet its legal responsibility to report annually on the number and proportion of staff with a disability, every employee (including temporary and part-time employees) is required to complete and sign a confidential form to establish whether or not the employee has a disability within the meaning of the Disability Act.
These forms are to be returned to the nominated officer authorised for this purpose.
As an equal opportunities employer, the Civil Service is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to staff with disabilities who require this in order to work in this organisation.
We are also committed to addressing the health and safety needs of all employees, including employees with disabilities.
For this purpose, staff may be asked to indicate if they have any needs for reasonable accommodation related to a disability.
Staff may also be asked to indicate if they require any particular health and safety supports relating to a disability, for example assistance or arrangements in relation to evacuating a building.
