Employer Obligations for Reasonable Adjustments (UK)
The duty to make reasonable adjustments is not abstract. It is an active legal obligation placed on employers.
In the UK, employers are required to take steps to prevent disabled people being placed at a disadvantage at work. This duty sits at the heart of the Equality Act 2010 and applies to day-to-day work, recruitment, progression, and how problems are handled when they arise.
You can read the statutory duty here:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/20
What matters in practice is not whether an employer cares, but whether they can show they have done what the law requires.
The core employer duty (in plain English)
An employer must:
identify when a disabled person is disadvantaged at work, and
take reasonable steps to remove or reduce that disadvantage.
This duty is ongoing. It does not end once an adjustment is agreed. It reappears when work changes, roles change, or barriers resurface.
Crucially, a failure to make reasonable adjustments is a form of disability discrimination in its own right.
What employers are expected to do in practice
Meeting the duty is not about guessing or waiting for perfect requests. It is about having a process that works reliably.
1) Anticipate, not just react
Employers are expected to think ahead. This includes:
considering accessibility when designing roles and processes
building flexibility into policies where possible
recognising that not all disabilities are visible or static
Waiting until someone is already struggling increases risk.
2) Respond promptly when issues arise
Once an employer knows, or should reasonably know, that disability-related disadvantage exists, delay becomes a problem.
Obligations include:
engaging in discussion about barriers at work
considering adjustments without unnecessary delay
avoiding “wait and see” approaches that prolong disadvantage
Silence or slow action is often the point where employers fall short.
3) Focus on barriers, not medical proof
The duty is triggered by impact at work, not by labels or diagnoses.
Employers should:
ask what part of the job is difficult
understand when and how the difficulty shows up
explore practical ways to reduce it
Over-fixating on medical evidence often delays support and increases exposure.
4) Consider a range of adjustment options
Employers are not required to agree to the exact adjustment requested, but they are required to:
genuinely consider the request
explore alternatives
aim to remove the disadvantage
Common adjustments include changes to hours, location, workload, communication, equipment, or processes. Many are low cost or free.
ACAS sets out this expectation clearly in its guidance for employers:
https://www.acas.org.uk/reasonable-adjustments
5) Apply decisions consistently
One of the clearest employer obligations is consistency.
Employers must avoid:
different managers handling similar requests in different ways
adjustments depending on personal attitudes
informal agreements that disappear over time
Inconsistency is one of the fastest routes to legal risk.
6) Keep a clear written record
The law does not require perfection, but it does require reasonableness. Reasonableness is hard to demonstrate without records.
Good practice includes:
recording what was requested
documenting what was agreed and why
noting alternatives considered
setting review points
If a decision is not written down, it is difficult to defend later.
Where employers most often fail
Most employers do not fail because they refuse adjustments outright. They fail because:
the duty is triggered but missed
conversations happen but are not captured
adjustments are agreed but not implemented
reviews never take place
knowledge is lost when managers or roles change
From a legal perspective, these failures look the same as doing nothing.
Why employers need a system, not just guidance
The Equality Act is clear. ACAS guidance is clear. The gap is execution.
Relying on:
manager memory
email trails
goodwill
informal conversations
is not enough to meet a legal duty consistently.
This is exactly why organisations use structured approaches like Workplace Passports and centralised adjustment workflows.
Why TryMosaic is built for this obligation
This is where TryMosaic comes in.
TryMosaic is designed specifically to help employers meet their duty to make reasonable adjustments, not just talk about it.
It gives employers:
a clear route for employees to request adjustments
structured prompts to identify barriers and suitable options
a consistent framework managers can rely on
a single written record of decisions and reasoning
continuity when managers, roles, or teams change
an auditable trail that supports compliance
Mosaic does not replace human judgement.
It makes that judgement defensible, consistent, and repeatable.
For employers, that means:
less guesswork
fewer missed triggers
reduced legal risk
calmer, clearer adjustment conversations
What good compliance actually looks like
Employers who meet their obligations well tend to:
identify issues earlier
act faster
document decisions
review adjustments regularly
treat adjustments as part of normal management, not an exception
Those outcomes don’t come from policy documents alone. They come from systems that work in real life.
Next steps
Read more here
FAQs: employer duty to make reasonable adjustments
Is making reasonable adjustments a legal obligation for employers?
Yes. It is a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010.
Do employers have to anticipate needs?
Employers are expected to think ahead where possible, not simply react after harm has occurred.
Do employers have to do exactly what an employee asks for?
No. Employers can propose alternatives, and turn down adjustments when they’re not reasonable, but they must still aim to remove the disadvantage.
What is the biggest compliance risk for employers?
Inconsistent handling, poor records, and delayed action.
