Royal Mail and dyslexia

[Exrep]

Hello chaps little question got a chap in our place who under the last 3 re-signs has been protected under DDA due to him suffering with dyslexia.

Its time for a re-sign again we have a new manager in charge who has raised said persons DDA with me.

Done my explaining as I knew that for the last 6=7 years he has been protected by DDA so a duty made for him not adjusted made for him.

Problem I am having now is new DIM has looked for a paper trail going back to his start date as he did at first do a walk,.Then the problems arose no paper work from his G/P nor ATOS saying he is protected,so the new DIM is taking it that he never has been protected so why should he now.

I know the unions stance on this and that is evidence needs to be produced which I agree with not just to protect him now and in the future but to protect other members in having the opportunity to have all duties available to them under this and future re-signs.

Hes been to ATOS who told him to go see his G/P to which he has ,and the G/P said he cant say whether hes got dyslexia or not and a specialist would have to assess him privately at a cost of £300-£500.

So if his G/P cant say yes/no and ATOS cant and no one is willing to fork out the cost to have him assessed privately, I am at a loss as to what direction to go in. Just to set the record straight during the initial interview I expressed to the DIM how uncomfortable I was with R/Ms handling of such a delicate matter and the stress it was causing to person concerned. I even apologised to the lad myself ,at the end of the day its getting him protected for the rest of his R/M career but the way he has to go about it to prove himself is disgraceful and shameful.

Have any reps on this site got any advice to throw my way im very short for time so please only serious replys.

Cheers chaps your help will be very much appreciated by myself as I really want to get this lad protected he aint pulling the wool hes genuine. I am amazed in this day and age an employee can be treated this way. He has done everything asked by him so far by R/M ATOS/G/P so were does it end how far does he have to go.

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

i would be getting him to ask his gp why he is not willing to fund the assessment to prove he has dyslexia

something sort seems a wee bit odd here, i have never heard of ATOS recommending that you speak to your own GP about anything, so sounds like they never believed he was suffering from it, and his gp has doubts otherwise his gp would have funded an assessment years ago, not saying he is not but somewhere along the line in the last seven years someone should really have put pen to paper to comit to saying yes he suffers from dyslexia

[keithposty]

why are atos saying they cannot refer him to a specialist,
why is the GP (NHS) refusing to refer to a specialist

after all. that is why royal mail pay them (£250 per referal i believe)
i cannot believe they cannot get one of there so called specialists down to an atos assessmant centre to do a consultation

i can comment more on your reply

[MinisterofCucumber]

Why is there no paper trail?

You can't self certify that you are disabled. This undermines the position of the really disabled. If this member has been given a cushy duty without evidence of a disability, he has been the victim of favouritism by the previous weak manager.

Here is an online test, the results of which could be used to support a written request for RMG to fund an assessment by a Chartered Psychologist and refund the cost of the test:

http://www.spot-your-potential.com/buy-spot.htm?aff=bda" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about-dys ... place.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dvbuk55]

Who diagnosed the dyslexia in the first place? To what degree does he have it? If I was a rep I certainly wouldn't want to support something of this nature without any supporting evidence.

[fishtank]

Why does the member not have a paper trail Ex-Rep?
If he has been diagnosed with severe dyslexia and it would need to be severe to be covered under the equality act he would already have seen a specialist and have this report and so would his GP.
If he doesn't then the only option is a re-referral to ATOS.

[clashcityrocker]

What sort of duty has been made for him to take account of his dyslexia?

[Pat Ostman]

Hello chaps little question got a chap in our place who under the last 3 re-signs has been protected under DDA due to him suffering with dyslexia.

I am pretty sure the member was never really covered under any DDA. No diagnosis, no DDA.

Advise? Tell him to change his GP

[not me]

Hello chaps little question got a chap in our place who under the last 3 re-signs has been protected under DDA due to him suffering with dyslexia.

I am pretty sure the member was never really covered under any DDA. No diagnosis, no DDA.

sounds about right
got folks in our DO who seem to have some DDA issue that was never properly assessed

[Exrep]

Chaps thanks for the advice all the questions asked is what im asking to myself and rightly so .

Just to answer a few questions about this Duty made up for him was a P/T driving duty delivering what you would expect from a driver.

The previous DIM whom Im to believe was some what related through marriage with the now effected person sorted this duty for him. Read into that what you want.

With regards to his gp/atos that is what he told me after his phone call and visit.

Ive now got more questions to go in with tomorrow as our re-sign will now be put on hold thanks for the links most helpful.

Once again thanks for the advice

[brothermagrew]

What slightly confuses me is going by your RMC pseudonym name or monicker ExRep why then is it down to you to be going into your bosses office in the first place.

[clashcityrocker]

What slightly confuses me is going by your RMC pseudonym name or monicker ExRep why then is it down to you to be going into your bosses office in the first place.

The boy is obviously back in the hot seat.
Ex Ex Rep.

[NumptyBumpty]

I think some may be being a bit harsh here. I'm guessing he was probably diagnosed as a child so has probably carried this around for a while now without actually having any need for a paper trail. His previous manager probably took him at his word that he had the disability so never referred him to ATOS, or did refer him but the paperwork isn't available.

His GP has, quite rightly, told him to go and get assessed privately. He doesn't need a diagnosis he needs proof, this isn't the NHS roll.

I'm wondering if he has actually had a proper referral to ATOS or just an enquiry. It's ATOS's role to assess if an employee is covered by the DDA not to diagnose him. I'd go back to the line manager and suggest that RM help pay the costs towards an assessment, it would be in everyones best interests to do that. RM were happy to accept he has a disability for 6 years, to sudden;y remove any reasonable adjustments without having a proper assessment would be very poor judgment on RM part.

[Pat Ostman]

His GP has, quite rightly, told him to go and get assessed privately. He doesn't need a diagnosis he needs proof, this isn't the NHS roll.

A diagnoses is proof. ATOS determine in their 'infinite' wisdom if he can do the job, not a private firm.

[gaffers gimp]

Downloaded PDF from Union Website Disability Rights and Equality Act 2010 which replaces all acts before.

Indirect Discrimination

This arises when an employer applies a “provision, criterion or practice” to the workforce
(or a group of workers) which disproportionately and adversely affects workers with disabilities
(or a particular disability); adversely affects you and cannot be justified by the employer as being
a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

Q: I suffer from dyslexia and want to go for promotion. However, I have been told that I
must sit a test which involves a written exercise and an assessment performed under
timed conditions. My condition gets worse if I am under pressure. Is there anything I
can do?
A: Yes, dyslexia is capable of amounting to a disability under the Act. Operating a policy
which requires all candidates for promotion to undergo a written test is likely to have a
disproportionately adverse effect on candidates with dyslexia, may adversely affect you and,
may be difficult for your employer to justify as being a proportionate means of achieving a
legitimate aim. What you can do is make sure that your employer is aware of your dyslexia
and ask for adjustments to be made to the testing procedure. These may include, e.g.
allowing you more time to take the test or to ask for alternative conditions under which to
take the test. You should not be placed at a disadvantage because of your disability.