We are proud to announce that we are now able to help with advice and representation on applications for Personal Independence Payments, Employment Support Allowance and Universal Credit, and on appeals. According to statistics from the Tribunals Service, PIP appeal …
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Can your employer force you to have a Covid jab?
This is a hot topic at the moment. Our advice is that If your employer says that you will be dismissed unless you have a vaccine, that will be unlawful as an unfair dismissal. As an existing employee, you would …
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Face Masks – The Definitive Guidance
Of course wearing a face covering is a really great idea, but not everyone can even though they want to. That’s why the Government Guidance includes caveats, or exemptions.
These are the exemptions set out in The Government Guidance on Face Coverings and Exemptions
- people who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability
- where putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress
- if you are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expressions to communicate
We are extremely concerned at recent fashionable announcements being made by businesses, including supermarkets which are creating a hostile environment for disabled people exempt from wearing masks.
The Cabinet Office issued these instructions to Supermarkets to assist: guidance_for_face_covering_exemptions
Key extracts are,
“Once an individual has said they are not able to/exempt, you must take their word and allow them to continue. A verbal confirmation alone is enough. You must not ask for proof of their medical exemption and it is not essential they show any form of exemption card at any point.
Please note if someone is travelling with or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading to communicate, they too are exempt from wearing a face covering.”
……”any form of visual cue that indicates an exemption should be respected”.
We call upon Supermarkets to act on the Cabinet Office guidance and provide clear messaging both to staff and the public that blanket policies of ‘No Mask No Entry’ are wrong, and unlawful.
If you have been refused access to a service provider despite having an exemption, and especially if you have provided proof of your exemption you may have a viable claim for disability discrimination. You can contact us on this by completing the form at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqL2Fc3Zc86fIyvecd6IvmnzFunDZagmQ05ms0_ANIvcvWEA/viewform
Is #Covid messing with your work??
@UNISONdm published a report in August 2020 following a survey of 4,000 disabled workers across the UK, showing that half worked from home during the Covid-19 crisis. https://www.unison.org.uk/news/press-release/2020/08/give-disabled-people-right-work-home-covid-19-says-unison/ The survey found that nearly three quarters (73%) of disabled staff felt they were more productive or as productive working from …
Read MoreSupermarket Concerns
As we’re back into lockdown, we thought it would be useful to provide guidance as to your rights if you are disabled and unable to access supermarkets in person through shielding. If you’re an existing online customer and your slots …
Read MoreChristmas Jumper?
…….. Bad luck. This is not a photo of us wearing Christmas Jumpers! It is us saying thank you to all of our supporters for your trust and confidence in us this year, and for the fantastic feedback we’ve had …
Read MoreDisabled People have been let down through Covid – Women & Equality Select Committee Report 22/12/20
The Women & Equalities Select Committee has today published its report “Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services” which can be found here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/4068/documents/40461/default/ This report recognises the significant difficulties faced by two of the key issues taken up …
Read MoreA Report on the Accessibility of BSL Users Access to Covid-19 Government Information
Please read and circulate the attached report by @openaccess and @heriotwattBSL for and funded by the #WhereIsTheInterpreter campaign @jerseysnail. The report will also be produced in #BSL but for now a short summary can be found at this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf2oXU_rUMM …
Read MoreClewed Up for Christmas!
Meet Carrie Clewes, a Fry Law Associate who has been busy spreading cheer to our clients on the run up to Christmas, with a winning streak of cases and fantastic reviews from our clients. We’ll be uploading some of Carrie’s recent results shortly, but recent cases have included reasonable adjustments for a Deaf client, an age discrimination case, and a claim against the DWP for hosting assessments in inaccessible venues.
Its time to take action for the Deaf Community
We’ve been working to support the Deaf Community in obtaining information about Covid since the beginning of lockdown when no BSL English Interpreters were provided for the Daily National Addresses. 260 County Court cases have been issued for compensation, and …
Read MoreFace Masks & the Equality Act
We’ve been asked whether a business can refuse you entry for failing to make a face mask, and whether even being asked to wear one amounts to a breach of the Equality Act. Apparently Facebook posts are circulating suggesting that …
Read MoreJoin our team and #deliverchange
We’re on the look out for people to join our team of lawyers! If you have an interest in disability rights and experience of litigation we’d like to hear from you. You would join a flexible, and highly motivated team …
Read MoreWe’re Moving!
We’re excited to announce that we are moving our Sheffield HQ to a state of the art new building with easier transport links, close to Sheffield Train Station at 1 Concourse Way, Sheffield S1 2BJ. Our contact telephone numbers remain …
Read MoreThe Coronavirus Act 2020 and its impact on disabled people
DLA Briefings vol 70 935-947 disabled impact CF We’re pleased that the Discrimination Law Association have published an article written by Cathy Casserley at Cloisters Chambers, and Chris Fry which summarises of the issues affecting disabled people which have arisen …
Read MoreTesco Accept Disabled Customers to Priority List
You may have read last week that, following a threatened application for interim injunctive relief Tesco’s legal team agreed to make reasonable adjustments for Fry Law client Joanne Baskett. Joanne is single parent to a 17 year old child who …
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