To Employment index

If you stammer you are in good company: (from left) John Readman, Andrew Harding, Bert Massie, Dai Powell, Rachel Everard.

The employment campaign launch has given BSA new resources to reduce employment difficulties for people who stammer, with an event in London on October 22 - International Stuttering Awareness Day.

The event at the Barber-Surgeons Hall was attended by people from major companies, government departments, the Employers Forum on Disability, the Employment Service, and many others.

Speaking at the launch, the chair of the Disability Rights Commission (DRC), Bert Massie, said that two of the biggest challenges faced by people with any sort of disability were people's level of awareness and their willingness to help disabled people. The DRC is the government agency that promotes awareness and compliance of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). While preferring to work cooperatively with employers, it provides advice and legal assistance for people who have been subject to discrimination, helping almost 2000 people last year and starting 41 cases in employment tribunals and county courts.

"Discrimination means broadly that an employer treats you less favourably for a reason related to your disability," Bert said. "It can also be discrimination if the employer fails to take reasonable steps to modify arrangements which put you as a person with a stammer at a substantial disadvantage. The duty on employers to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate disabled people is a very important part of the DDA."

Stammering is covered by the Act if it causes substantial difficulties for a person when they carry out normal day-to-day activities. Bert said that people with a severe stammer are clearly covered, and any other stammer having more than a minor effect should also be covered. At present, there have been no cases that establish stammering as a disability, although a ruling from an employment tribunal in Newcastle is due at the end of the year.

"We are looking for good cases that can clarify principles in the DDA that are currently untested or unclear, and that will tackle widespread forms of discrimination," said Bert.

"The Commission will look at a case's chance of success and the person's ability to pursue the case. Our support will be financial, in helping meet the costs of the case, and representation provided by DRC staff where appropriate".

The launch also made BSA more aware of disability issues in a practical way. Working with the DRC to ensure access to the building for Bert, who uses a wheelchair, we realised the importance of selecting an accessible venue and finding out what arrangements are needed for people with different disabilities. It is essential in future to ask potential guests and invitees to inform us of any special needs they may have. This applies to open days and conferences as well.

Raising awareness in the community through educating organizations and people is central to the work of the DRC, and underpins the work of the BSA employment campaign on the specific issue of stammering.

From the Autumn 2001 edition of Speaking Out