This webpage provides an overview of the LSE Disability Policy for staff, and links to other relevant policies and webpages. It includes information about the Equality Act 2010 and explains how the social model of disability underpins the School’s commitment to supporting and making adjustments for disabled staff.
The LSE Disability Policy sets out the School’s commitment to providing a positive, supportive, and enabling environment for all staff, including disabled staff. Please note that a separate policy exists for the School’s student community. LSE’s Disability Policy builds upon the School’s commitment to, and responsibilities under, the Equality Act 2010, which places a general duty on all higher education institutions to promote inclusion and disability equality.
The LSE Disability Policy includes the following sections:
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Policy aims, scope and definition of disability.
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Key policy responsibilities including the role of line manager, HR Partner and the Staff Disability and Mental Health Adviser
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Sharing information about a disability
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Provision of reasonable adjustments
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Technological support for disabled staff
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Access to Work
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Disability and recruitment
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Disability and sickness absence
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Ill health retirement
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Training and development
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Safe access requirements on campus
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Raising a concern
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Discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimization.
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Monitoring and reporting
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Further resources
For more information or advice about the Disability Policy contact Lucy Mu, Staff Disability and Mental Health Adviser, Kieran Darling, Senior Policy Adviser or the HR Partners.
All higher education institutions are required to abide by the Equality Act 2010’s definition of disability which includes but is not limited to:
- Those with physical, mobility, visual or hearing disabilities,
- Neurodiverse conditions such as:
- Dyslexia
- Dyscalculia
- Attention Defifict Hyperactivity Disorder
- Autistic specturm conditions
- Certain medical conditions
- Mental health conditions
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)
- Other disabilities that may be 'unseen' (e.g. asthma, epilepsy, heart conditions, diabetes)
- Conditions which have a substantial effect but can be controlled by medical treatment, such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and multiple sclerosis.
The Equality Act 2010's formal definition is:
“A physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities.”
The definition of ‘day to day activities’ includes mobility, manual dexterity, lifting, hearing, eyesight, speech, memory, and the ability to concentrate, learn or understand. The Act defines ‘substantial’ as being more than trivial and ‘long-term’ as being more than 12 months or likely to last 12 months.
Conditions that are expected to be temporary (such as broken limbs) will not normally be considered a disability in themselves unless indicated otherwise by medical advice and evidence. However, staff may require temporary adjustments due to a short-term condition which should be agreed in consultation with the relevant line manager and/or HR Partner to ensure that the individual is supported in their role. Managers should support staff with such circumstances by being reasonably flexible regarding the duties of the employee’s role during recovery from a temporary condition where feasible within business needs’.
An addiction to a substance or behaviour is not considered by the Equality Act 2010 to be a disability; however, any condition that develops as a result of an addiction, may constitute a disability where it meets the definition set out above. Examples include liver disease or mental health conditions. More detailed information can be found in the Alcohol and Drugs Policy.
Whilst acknowledging the medical definition of disability given above under the Equality Act 2010, in practical terms, the School follows the social model of disability which focuses on addressing and removing barriers to participation among disabled individuals. This is done by striving for inclusion and accessibility across the School’s working practices, estate and technological services. One recent example of this is the networking of some types of assistive software (such as Read&Write, a productivity tool available in the LSE App Store) across all staff computers so that individual requests/disability disclosures are not required. Another example is where School campus buildings have automatic doors and / or ramps so disabled individuals can enter without the need for assistance from others.