looking to change job due to disability.

keithf

Guys, Just wondering if anyone got experience of trying to get help to change career's due to disablement.

I'm currently a business manager at a busy motorcycle dealer but I'm starting to find the workplace

too dangerous for me to continue due to being severely sight impaired, Any advice gratefully accepted. 

thank you please !

professorben

Can you not work from home at all? 

Seymour1

This isn't helpful in terms of looking for a new job but the information on Certificate of Visual Impairment might be. Link is to Moorfields Eye Hospital (London catchment area) but includes RNIB links which might also be useful.

 http://www.moorfields.nhs.uk/content/patient-support-and-counselling

Edit: RNIB site is more useful.

http://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living/work-and-employment

has a number of links which relate to looking for work and changes to your current employment if visually impaired.

Good luck!

svejk

Do you like where you are and are they good to work for? Are there any reasonable adjustments they could make to help you? It could be equipment, duties, some other assistance. They have a legal duty to consider making changes to help you though you might decide there is nothing that would help and you want a change anyway. Don't be afraid to ask and to explore it. I have a lot of experience here...some not so good but recently excellent. There are still some good employers out there!

keithf

not particularly,ever increasing workload and diminishing pay.
I've thought about exploring the avenue of getting an independent assessment on the safety of working there
but sadly, i get enough people thinking i'm taking the piss by not pushing bikes about and asking for clear
pathways as is, Its deffo time for a change,
Thanks for the suggestions everyone btw.

holnrew

That's kind of illegal of them

octatonic

What sorts of bikes do you sell?

Always looking for a good, reliable dealer.
I'm not living that far away and a bit of a tart- I've changed bikes 6 times in the last 3 years.

keithf

HONDA,SUZUKI AND USED.

EricTheWeary

svejk said:

Do you like where you are and are they good to work for? Are there any reasonable adjustments they could make to help you? It could be equipment, duties, some other assistance. They have a legal duty to consider making changes to help you though you might decide there is nothing that would help and you want a change anyway. Don't be afraid to ask and to explore it. I have a lot of experience here...some not so good but recently excellent. There are still some good employers out there!

holnrew said:

That's kind of illegal of them

They have a legal obligation to look at reasonable adjustments under the 2010 Equality Act. If they don't do so you can take legal action. If you are their business manager then it sounds like it wouldn't be hard to argue that pushing bikes isn't a part of the job and clear access should be available for customers as well as staff.

CabbageCat

svejk said:

 They have a legal duty to consider making changes to help you.

Yup, but it is pretty toothless legislation. They only have a duty to consider it, they can easily just say, "We've thought about it and aren't going to do it."

EricTheWeary

And then you can take them to court.

CabbageCat said:

svejk said:

 They have a legal duty to consider making changes to help you.

Yup, but it is pretty toothless legislation. They only have a duty to consider it, they can easily just say, "We've thought about it and aren't going to do it."

It should be the first step really, getting your employer to consider reasonable adjustments / possible redeployment. For example we ( corporate 'we' meaning my former employer) called in a specialist back pain agency to make suggestions for someone so they could continue in work. RNIB or similar could give advice around adjustments in the workplace for someone who is sight impaired. The onus here isn't / shouldn't be on Keith.

keithf

thanks guys, a big part of it is the piss taking from the boys that I work with, I'm pretty thick skinned but it does wear

you down eventually,

p90fool

That needs addressing, a bit of occasional ribbing from colleagues you like is one thing, but you don't have to put up with anything which upsets you.

Anyone involved with motorcycles should be very sympathetic to someone with sight issues - I can't imagine taking the piss about it, any more than I would out of a musician damaging their hands.

keithf

I think the issue is that because most of the staff remember me before my disability they think I'm the same person,

Being that my leg or arm hasn't fallen off , I look the same to them.

breakstuff

Agree with @p90fool.If it's getting to the point where it's wearing you down,I would consider that bullying rather than ribbing.

Hope you can work something out.

keithf

THANKS GUYS

keithf

bit of an update,

Looks like I've managed to secure employment elsewhere, Just waiting on a start date.

the new ppl are very sympathetic to disability, proper  hr system, so watch this space

welshboyo

keithf said:

bit of an update,

Looks like I've managed to secure employment elsewhere, Just waiting on a start date.

the new ppl are very sympathetic to disability, proper  hr system, so watch this space

Awesome @keithf glad to hear you've got something sorted fella.

keithf

Thanks Wayne.

jellyroll

Great news. A fresh start in 2018. 

EricTheWeary

Well good news. Shame about the old place being a bunch of w*****s in the end.