By Matthew Rowlinson, Employment Rights Lawyer &
Neil Guss Regional Employment Rights Manager
New polling commissioned by the TUC reveals that almost four in ten disabled workers have experienced bullying, discrimination or harassment at work in the past five years. The figures suggest widespread challenges for disabled people in the workplace, ranging from offensive remarks to more sustained patterns of mistreatment.
The research, based on a representative survey of 1,000 disabled workers, found that:
- 39% reported experiencing workplace bullying, discrimination or harassment
- 42% said it had a negative impact on their mental health
- 28% said it made them want to leave their job
- 16% had left their job or employer altogether
Examples of mistreatment included intrusive questioning, offensive jokes, and workplace exclusion. Abuse was reported from a range of sources including colleagues, managers, clients and members of the public.
A significant number of workers also reported physical and mental health impacts, reduced performance, and loss of confidence as a result of the way they were treated at work.
The TUC has described the findings as “shockingly high” and is calling attention to the proposed Employment Rights Bill, which includes new provisions to help address these concerns. Among them is a duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent third-party harassment, such as abuse from customers or service users.
This provision, currently at committee stage in the House of Lords, is one of the most widely supported aspects of the Bill—polling shows 78% of UK voters back it. The TUC believes the proposed changes could play a significant role in reducing harm and supporting disabled workers to remain in employment.
Trade union members and reps may wish to review the full polling findings and consider how the upcoming legal changes may affect workplace policies and employer responsibilities. In the meantime, the results highlight the ongoing importance of collective support, workplace representation and sustained efforts to promote dignity and respect at work for all disabled employees.
