Reasonable adjustment passport guide
Commitment Statement
The APSC has a duty of care to all its employees including those with an illness, injury or disability to provide an inclusive, accessible and safe working environment.
Purpose
This guide has been developed to assist employees with an illness, injury or disability and their managers in completing and applying the Reasonable Adjustment Passport form. This guide should be read in conjunction with the Reasonable Adjustment Policy.
Aim
The aim of the Passport is to ensure that any special needs and reasonable adjustments that an employee may have are documented. This ensures that when there is a change in manager the key information about those reasonable adjustments is readily available.
The Passport allows the employee to explain in their own words their circumstances, the difficulties they experience in the workplace and their specific needs to support them at work. The Passport is a tool to open up discussions with their manager regarding any adjustments they may require, including access to part time and flexible working arrangements.
Coverage
This applies to all Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) employees with an injury, illness or disability that may impact on their safety or accessibility whilst they are at work.
What is a Reasonable Adjustment Passport?
The Reasonable Adjustment Passport documents the reasonable adjustments required by an employee with an illness, injury or disability.
The option to hold a Passport is voluntary.
What is Reasonable Adjustment?
Reasonable Adjustment is any form of assistance or adjustment made in the workplace or to a role that allows the employees to carry out the requirements of the role.
Further information is provided in the Reasonable Adjustment Policy.
Manager responsibilities
Managers are responsible for:
- engaging in discussions with the employee about the requirements of role and the reasonable adjustment(s) needed to support the employee to meet these
- supporting employees with illness, injury or disability to perform to the best of their ability
- maintaining confidentiality and privacy of the information the employee discloses
- supporting employees to be aware of their rights and responsibilities in relation to reasonable adjustment.
Employee responsibilities
Employees are responsible for:
- notifying their manager of a need for reasonable adjustments in the workplace
- engaging in a discussion with their manager about the proposed reasonable adjustments(s)
- providing the information contained in the Passport
- storing the Passport securely
- participating in any assessments by treating practitioners or other allied health professionals where requested.
What information is contained in the Passport?
The employee controls the amount of information they wish to disclose. The employee does not need to disclose or record details of the exact nature of the illness, injury or disability, unless it is likely to affect their ability to perform the essential duties of the position. The focus of the Passport is to document the agreed reasonable adjustment(s) requirements.
Privacy and confidentiality
Managers, together with those key employees involved in the process of applying for reasonable adjustment(s) are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and privacy requirements of the information in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act 1988.
Review
The timing of reviews will depend on the nature of the illness, injury or disability. The manager and employee should discuss review arrangements and meet on an as needs basis where required.
Procedure
Where a reasonable adjustment is required, the employee and manager should discuss the proposed adjustment(s) and once agreed, the employee may document the adjustment(s) on the Reasonable Adjustments Passport form.
The Passport must be signed by both the employee and the manager as a way of confirming agreement to the reasonable adjustment(s) and to acknowledge any actions required e.g arranging for the purchase and installation of software and access to necessary training.
The reasonable adjustment(s) documented in the Passport cannot be changed without the agreement of the employee.