12. Disability discrimination

This chapter examines disability discrimination law under the Equality Act 2010. It focuses on disability discrimination, with disability being treated as a separate protected characteristic. The chapter first considers the historical context and the possible conceptual approaches to the protection of disabled workers. It then addresses the definition of ‘disability’ in section 6 of the Equality Act. This is followed by an analysis of the employer’s duty to make reasonable adjustments in the workplace to accommodate disabled workers. Next, the ‘discrimination arising from disability’ concepts are discussed. Finally, the chapter presents some comments and observations on the current state of disability discrimination law in general, taking into account the recent introduction of the Equality Act and European developments.