UK disability discrimination law and stammering / stuttering
Face masks/coverings and stammering Face masks/coverings and stammering updated to reflect the abolition of face covering regulations in England. However some businesses and organisations – for example hospitals and Transport for London (TfL) – still require customers or patients etc to wear a face covering. Also some employers require staff to wear one. What rights … Read more
Many users of iPhones and iPads found that a ‘woozy face’ emoji automatically appeared when typing the word ‘stammering’ into messages. Stamma (the British Stammering Association) said in a press release: “This is demeaning and damaging. Stammering is how some people talk. Treating it as a joke is stigmatising. It can leave people embarrassed about … Read more
Stamma Legal – for lawyers who stammer Added to my Employment stammering networks page. A friendly and welcoming network for anyone with a stammer working in or thinking about entering the legal industry. It holds regular meetings and social events throughout the year. It also hopes to raise awareness of stammering within the legal industry, … Read more
Oral assessments and presentations in recruitment Major review and update of Oral assessments in recruitment, including assessment centres and remote (eg Zoom) assessments, and Presentations in recruitment. UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement page updated for the final version of the Agreement (gov.uk) as approved, published in April 2021.`I’ve revised my … Read more
Equal Treatment Bench Book On 24th February 2021 a new edition of the Equal Treatment Bench Book (judiciary.uk) was published. It is excellent that this includes four pages specifically on stammering (from page 445). Stammering was not in there before. That is now the official guide for judges on dealing with people who stammer in … Read more
Brexit Brexit and EU law pages reorganised and amended, with two new pages Brexit: Effect of EU law when interpreting Equality Act from 2021 and Ability to amend Equality Act after Brexit. This is partly to reorientate the pages to the position after the end of 2020. There is also a page on the new … Read more
Stammering case with impact statement, 2020 Impact statement and other documents used in an employment tribunal case in 2020, arguing that the stammer (a severe one) was a disability within the Equality Act. See Stammering case with impact statement, 2020. Also new Proving disability page. Staff disability networks Apart from stammering networks, any network for … Read more
This campaign aims to kick-start a conversation around the negative language used when talking about stammering, and help those who don’t stammer to understand that this is just how some people talk. It uses outdoor digital adverts and social media. Do engage with the campaign on social media: stamma.org/findtherightwords. You can download ISAD social media … Read more
Stammering starting in adulthood Disability: Stammering starting in adulthood updated. Also summary of Walker v Sita, 2013 expanded and update of SCA Packaging v Boyle, 2009. Justification test in indirect discrimination Indirect discrimination>Justification defence added, plus case on it from a couple of years ago: City of Oxford Bus Services Ltd t/a Oxford Bus Company … Read more
Social distancing for the Covid-19 can present extra challenges for people who stammer. The move away from meeting face-to-face due to social distancing requirements (below) can create particular difficulties if one has a stammer. Equality Act obligations still apply, but they are applying to new situations, and what is reasonable or justifiable will be affected … Read more