About workplace adjustments passports, including the main principles and considerations to ensure consistency.
About this guide
Workplace adjustments passports provide a record of an individual's agreed workplace adjustments. They are also known as disability passports or reasonable adjustments. They should be available to all officers, members of staff and volunteers.
Within policing, workplace adjustments passports are used in over 60% of forces across England and Wales. However, there are several versions of these passports and a lack of consistency in terms of how these are implemented.
This guide has been developed for all officers, staff and volunteers. It sets out the main principles of workplace adjustments passports that all forces should adhere to. It includes key considerations that forces can use to develop their own workplace adjustments passports.
Developing your workplace adjustments passport
Your workplace adjustments passport should include an introductory section that explains:
- what it is
- who it's for
- who owns it
- how it's used
What it is
The workplace adjustments passport is a record of agreed workplace reasonable adjustments. Workplace adjustments passports serve two main purposes.
- To make sure that workplace reasonable adjustments are portable. When an officer, member of staff or volunteer changes roles within a force or moves to a different force, any agreed workplace adjustments should move with them.
- To record agreed workplace reasonable adjustments and removal of barriers. The workplace adjustments passport should include all relevant information, specifying what adjustments have been made and when these should be reviewed.
Who it's for
Workplace adjustments passports should be available to all officers, members of staff and volunteers. Workplace reasonable adjustments are not reserved for those with a diagnosed disability or condition. They are for all officers, staff and volunteers who face institutional, cultural, social and personal barriers in carrying out their roles.
Who owns it
The workplace adjustments passport belongs to the passport holder (the officer, member of staff or volunteer for whom the adjustments are in being put place).
Completion of the workplace adjustments passport is voluntary. However, it is the organisation’s responsibility to provide a format for capturing this information and to make sure that all candidates, recruits, officers, staff and volunteers are aware of how to access it.
It is recommended that forces consult their legal and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) departments in developing workplace adjustments passports.
How it's used
Workplace adjustments passport holders are encouraged to share their passport with their line managers and appropriate contacts, as identified by the holder. This can facilitate any discussion about adjustments and removal of barriers.
These contacts may include, but are not limited to:
- the fire warden
- first aiders
- team members
- human resources or people services
- learning and development
- assessors
- health and safety personnel
- events staff
- catering
- estates
Once a workplace adjustments passport has been shared with another party, the holder should arrange wherever possible to meet with the contact to discuss and record how they might support any adjustments made.
The workplace adjustments passport will include a section to record these discussions, as well as agreed dates for review. The workplace adjustments passport asks the holder to complete name and contact information, as well as personal details relevant to the adjustments needed. This could include details about:
- disabilities
- neurodivergences
- personal and familial responsibilities
- illness and injury
- language
- digital access
- allergies
When a workplace adjustments passport is shared with a line manager, the manager should then arrange to meet with the holder to discuss their commitments to workplace reasonable adjustments and how they will support, oversee or manage the implementation of these. Holders are recommended to share their workplace adjustments passports with their human resources departments to support data collection and record keeping.
All parties to the workplace adjustments passport must treat the information in the strictest confidence. It is not to be shared with other colleagues, associates or successors without the express permission of the holder.
Reasonable adjustments
Reasonable adjustments are changes that organisations and people who provide services or public functions must make for employees if their disability puts them at a disadvantage compared with others who do not have a disability.
Organisations have an anticipatory duty to make these reasonable adjustments. Organisations must plan in advance to meet the access needs of people with disabilities.
Workplace adjustments encompass reasonable adjustments. They also include changes that organisations make for any employee who experiences barriers in carrying out their role, whether or not they have a disability or other diagnosed condition or neurodivergence.
Checklist
The workplace adjustment passport must include the following.
- The passport holder’s name.
- The passport holder’s preferred pronouns.
- Name of the passport holder's current line manager or supervisor (where the passport has been shared).
- Details of workplace barriers – this is about what is getting in the way of the passport holder doing a good job (for example, lack of appropriate physical accommodations or access, or restrictive working hours or conditions).
- Details of the passport holder’s strengths, experience, skills and knowledge – the focus here is on what the passport holder can do well.
- Details of what is limiting the passport holder’s performance or attendance at work – the focus of this section should be on what the passport holder can’t do. There should not be a requirement to share information on medical conditions. It is up to the passport holder to decide what information they share about their personal situation.
- Details of how the organisation can help to remove these barriers – such as digital accessibility tools, or alternative working hours and conditions.
- Details of any agreed adjustments to be made and what will be different about the passport holder’s working conditions and arrangements as a result.
- Date of implementation and date for review – highlighting when the adjustments start and when parties involved would check whether the adjustments are still appropriate.
- Signatures of parties – this is a formal document and should be signed by the passport holder and the current line manager at a minimum, as well as other parties where relevant.
- Data protection – the workplace adjustments passport must include a section clarifying how this information will be stored, how long for, who has access, and how and why they have access.