Most discrimination law tells duty-bearers what they cannot do. The duty to make reasonable adjustments goes further — it requires positive steps to remove or reduce the barriers that put disabled people at a substantial disadvantage. For a solicitor, this duty surfaces constantly: advising an employer on managing a disabled employee, helping a service provider plan for accessibility, or acting for a disabled client who has been let down. Knowing exactly when the duty bites, and what it demands, is essential everyday knowledge.
This lesson builds your understanding step by step:
- Nature of the Duty and Who Can Claim — why this duty is different, the absence of any justification defence, and who is entitled to rely on it.
- Definition of Disability — the four criteria a person must meet, and how impairment is assessed.
- Elements of a Claim and the Barriers — what a claimant must prove, and the three types of barrier that trigger the duty.
- Knowledge and the Anticipatory Duty — the 'double knowledge' requirement and how the employment duty differs from service provision.
- What Counts as Reasonable — the factors that decide whether a step is reasonable, and who bears its cost.
- Burden of Proof and Remedies — how the burden shifts and what a tribunal can award.