Changes in the law on disabled rights

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 placed certain conditions on employers. After October 2004 the Act will be further strengthened and employers such as clubs with fewer than 15 employees will be subject to the same provisions as any other employers.

Clubs will have to be aware that they must follow the guidelines to avoid discrimination on recruiting new employees and on providing the appropriate facilities for existing and/or new employees who have some disability. The Act does not apply to disabled members of clubs.

It is against the law for employers to discriminate against a disabled person because of their disability in deciding who should be given the job, to give them separate terms and conditions of employment, or to refuse to give them the same opportunities for promotiona nd training by treating them less fairly than other workers. Clubs are also reminded that if they are found guilty of discrimination on disability grounds the fines are unlimited (the same applies to sexual discrimination or racial discrimination).

We have previously advised clubs that the 15-employees rule did not apply to clubs but as from October 2004 it will do so, irrespective of whether the employees total 15 or less; but again I stress the Act does not apply to individual members of clubs.

Only five percent of the disabled people in the United Kingdome are in wheelchairs. The others have disabilities which do not prevent them walking.

Clubs should not feel they are forced to provide ramps for those inwheelchairs to gain entrance to the club. Expensive physical alterations may not always be necessary, a movable aluminium ramp which can be stored at the club until needed may be a solution if you only have the odd member who requires access via wheelchair to the club.

All clubs should ensure that the disabled don't feel ridiculed, humiliated or ignored and this might mean educating staff to offer extra hel, i.e. telling a blind person what the various types of drinks are or sometimes bringing food to the table rather than watching as someone struggles to carry a drink and food at the same time.

Clubs should at least know they have looked at the possibility of improving access and are not simply ignoring the situation.

July 2003