- Conference
- 2021 National Disabled Members' Conference
- Date
- 8 July 2021
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference notes that COVID-19 has had an unequal impact on disabled people. Statistics show that 6 out of 10 people who have died from COVID-19 are disabled. There is a clear need to protect disabled people from exposure of the virus and the Health and Safety of workers should be a priority for employers.
With the easing of lockdowns and restrictions, conference notes the need for the promotion of hybrid meetings. Expectations on how people fulfil their roles and reconcile work and domestic responsibilities has changed dramatically over the last 18 months and it is important that employers do not rush people to return to the office, especially disabled people who have a much greater risk of death upon exposure to the virus. Employers have a duty of care to ensure that workplaces are safe to return to and employers should listen to concerns from their employees. As a result of this, employers must adapt and embrace hybrid meetings to accommodate everyone safely and maintain flexibility for disabled workers.
This conference calls on the National Disabled Members Committee to:
1. Promote the use of hybrid meetings as a reasonable adjustment whilst stressing that remote access is not an alternative to accessible venues, personal assistance, mobility support or other independent living support that enable disabled people to travel and participate in face-to-face meetings.
2. Produce best practice guidance on how to hold a hybrid meeting to ensure inclusion for all attendees.
3. Produce guidance documentation on how disabled people can break down barriers and approach their organisations for the introduction of hybrid meetings as a reasonable adjustment.