"Disability discrimination still blocking employee career progression", 28 Nov 2016

...Despite government initiatives and the support of anti-discrimination legislation, more than a third (37%) of UK workers believe disability is still a barrier to career progression, according to a study...Moreover, nearly one in five (17%) respondents also claimed employers fail to make adequate provisions to accommodate their, or their colleagues’, disabilities.  These statistics suggest the government’s attempts to halve the 33% employment gap between disabled and non-disabled workers by 2020 may be in jeopardy unless further action is taken...As highlighted by the findings of the PMI Health Group study, many employers seem to be worried and cautious about hiring workers with disabilities due to potential higher costs, problems with the quality of their workplace facilities and a fear of breaching health and safety issues.  Also Purple, an organisation that provides bespoke advice to employers and disabled employees, found that some 45% of UK businesses are nervous about hiring a disabled person, citing further concerns about the interview process, not knowing whether to help with tasks such as opening doors or pulling out chairs, and falling foul of discrimination law...“Companies have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments, where necessary, to ensure employees with disabilities are not disadvantaged in the workplace”...