Disability Action Centre
Legal Issues - DDA
Since December 1996, the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) has gradually impacted on Royal Mail’s working practices, policies and processes. The purpose of this page is to highlight the key issues facing us as a business, leading up to and beyond October 2004, from which date we should endeavour to demonstrate full compliance with both Part II and Part III of the Act.
DDA Part II - Employment Provisions
Under Part II of the DDA, employees and job applicants (amongst others) who are disabled, or have had a disability, have the right not to be discriminated against because of their disability. Therefore, all Royal Mail Business Units have a responsibility to:
- Ensure fair and proper treatment of disabled job applicants and employees (and others, such as disabled contract workers)
- Not to discriminate against disabled people
- Make reasonable adjustments, when the need arises, to the various aspects of employment (such as terms of employment and workplace equipment)
- Treat as an offence the harassment or victimisation of anybody who supports their own or another’s rights under the DDA
DDA Part III - Access to Goods and Services
- The law states that all of those Royal Mail services and products which are available to the public should be made as accessible to disabled customers as is reasonably possible, which includes the need to make reasonable adjustments to our services, products and premises ('services') to ensure that disabled customers are not unfairly prevented from accessing them.
- Since October 1999, Royal Mail has been obliged to take reasonable steps to:
- change practices, policies or procedures which make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use its services;
- provide auxiliary aids or services which would enable/facilitate disabled people to use its services; and
- overcome physical features which make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use a service by providing that service by a reasonable alternative method.
- Since 1 October 2004, Royal Mail has been obliged to take reasonable steps to remove, alter, or provide a reasonable means of avoiding physical features that make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use a service.
Legal Guides on DDA
You may wish to check the guides provided on this section are the most up to date version.
Case Studies - Employment Tribunals and Statistics
The contents of these sections are under review and advice should always be sought to determine if more up-to-date versions are available.
Fact Sheets/Guides
The contents of these sections are under review and advice should always be sought to determine if more up-to-date versions are available.
- Access to buildings
- Access to Work (AtW)
- DDA - Rights and responsibilities
- DDA - Sources of advice and information
- Disability awareness
- Disabled Customers Policy
- Equal Opportunities Policy
- Recruitment Process Guidelines and Checklist
Useful Contacts/Organisations
Disability Rights Commission (DRC is an independent body set up to help secure civil rights for disabled people)
Employers’ Forum on Disability (EFD is the UK’s employers’ organisation focused on disability)
National Federation of SubPostmasters (maintains a national network of post offices and provide support and assistance to subpostmasters throughout the UK)
If you are unable to find the information you need or in the format you require, please contact the DAC -
Email - DAC@royalmail.com
