Home / 14th November 2022 – World Diabetes Day – How a little knowledge can impact someone’s life as well as your business
28th November 2022
Reports indicate that there has been a continued global increase in diabetes diagnoses. It is therefore likely that within most workplaces there will be employees living with the condition.
Most people can manage their diabetes so it doesn’t affect their work. However, in many cases this can take careful planning. From a health and safety perspective, employers should ensure that their employees are generally aware of the impact of diabetes and how to spot the signs that an employee may require medical assistance in the event of a hyper or hypo attack.
Diabetes and the Equality Act
Employees who have diabetes (whether type 1 or type 2) may be classified as disabled under the Equality Act. This will be considered on a case by case basis but it is safest for employers to assume that the individual is likely to be disabled when considering the impact of their condition. There are many examples of cases involving employees with diabetes who have been found to have the protections of the Equality Act.
The legal test that the employment tribunal will apply when determining whether a condition is classed as a disability is:
When assessing this, the impact of any medication taken by the employee is discounted.
Where an employee has protection under the Equality Act an employer must ensure that it does not discriminate against them (either directly or indirectly). In addition, for disabled employees, employers are under a duty to make reasonable adjustments and not to discriminate because of something arising from the disability. Frequently this will involve adjusting absence management procedures, varying working hours, or providing facilities for testing glucose levels or administering insulin. What is reasonable will be different in each case.
How employers can support employees with diabetes
Employers can take the following steps to support diabetic employees and raise awareness about the condition:
If you would like to discuss any of the above matters or require any assistance with managing the risk of potential discrimination claims, please contact one of our Employment experts on 0161 832 3434.