MPs to question academics on disabled people’s access to flexible work
The Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) will hear from four academics during the second evidence session of its inquiry on Equality at work: flexible working and disability.
Meeting details
MPs on the cross-party committee will examine research into the potential of flexible working to support disabled people's employment and reduce the disability employment gap. The session will explore the drivers of unequal access to flexible working and variations across disabilities and health conditions, sectors, occupations and roles.
Discussion will focus on disabled people's access to flexible working arrangements, including via the duty on employers to make disability-related reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act. It will also examine employees' statutory rights to make flexible working requests under employment law and look at the DWP's Access to Work Scheme. MPs may touch upon changes in the workplace, including developments in assistive technology and AI, assessing how they could impact disabled people's employment opportunities and outcomes.
The first evidence session in July heard from charities including Disability Rights UK, Arthritis UK, Scope, Down’s Syndrome Association and Action for ME. The committee’s inquiry examines the implications for disabled workers and jobseekers of flexible working policies, legislation and guidance as part of WEC’s Equality at work focus.