Workplace adjustments

This page provides information on workplace adjustments for Charles Sturt employees and their supervisors.

What are workplace adjustments?

Workplace adjustments are changes introduced into the workplace that take account of a person's disability so that they can use their skills effectively to meet the inherent requirements of their role. They can help level the playing field for employees with a disability or condition so they can access the same benefits, terms and conditions of employment as their colleagues.

Workplace adjustments do not apply to compensable work-related injury or illness. Refer to resources at Division of Safety, Security and Wellbeing for information about workplace injuries.

Workplace adjustments may include:

  • Assistance to ensure there is no barrier in selection processes
  • Changes to job design, schedules or work practices in ways that don't compromise performance or change the inherent requirements of the role
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Modifications to equipment or the supply of specialised, furniture or work-related aids
  • Providing training or other assistance
  • Alterations to premises or work areas

Workplace adjustments do not include:

  • Changing the inherent requirements of the role
  • Maintaining a role that would otherwise be altered or abolished
  • Creating a different role altogether
  • Promotion or transfer to a different role

Employees who require adjustments and their supervisors should be familiar with the Disability and Work or Study Adjustment Policy and Workplace Adjustment Procedure.

What is a Workplace Adjustment Plan?

A Workplace Adjustment Plan includes:

  • Contact details for the employee and their supervisor
  • Details about the any agreed adjustments and the work-related impacts they are intended to address
  • A review and monitoring schedule for the plan

Download the Workplace Adjustment Plan template (MS Word)

Who has access to a Plan?

A Plan is signed off by the employee and their supervisor and is a confidential document. Besides the employee, their supervisor, relevant DPC representatives and any communication requirements outlined in the Plan, it's up to the staff member to decide what information is provided to anyone else and who has access to their Plan.

However, as outlined below, limited disclosure may be required for health and safety reasons. A copy is usually provided to the DPC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) team for record keeping purposes.

Disclosure and privacy

We recognise that disclosure can be challenging and uncomfortable. Employees have no obligation to disclose disability unless it's impacting their ability to meet the inherent requirements of their role. If an employee requires a Workplace Adjustment Plan to meet these requirements, some details about their disability or condition and how it impacts their work is required - this can be to their supervisor and/or a Division of People and Culture representative.

The Division of People and Culture representative and supervisor must respect the privacy of the employee at all times. However, disclosure may be permitted and / or required by law, including to manage a serious and imminent risk to any individual or where there is a risk to public health and safety.

Requesting a Workplace Adjustment Plan

As a first step, the employee should decide who they would like to work with to develop their Plan. Options include:

  • Their supervisor or manager
  • The DPC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team

The table below outlines the steps for requesting a Workplace Adjustment Plan depending on who the employee would prefer to work with.

Step 1: Prepare for the conversation

We recommend employees and supervisors use Job Access's conversation guide to help prepare for the conversation - Making Workplace Adjustments Easy, Effective and Equitable.

The guide includes checklists and prompts to promote supportive conversations and facilitate open, empathetic, and actionable discussion. It also covers disclosure and privacy and has examples and case studies. You can also contact the DPC EDI team for guidance (edi@csu.edu.au).

Step 2: Confidential discussion

The employee and their supervisor should arrange a time for a confidential discussion to discuss the workplace adjustment request.

The supervisor doesn't need to know all the details about employee's disability or condition, the conversation should instead focus on understanding the barriers the employee is experiencing and what they need to do their job safely and effectively.

Supervisors are encouraged to clarify the adjustments the employee is seeking and follow-up with a written summary and expected timeframe for their decision.

Step 3: Supervisor considers request

Sometimes, accommodating the needs of staff with disability, neurodiversity and chronic conditions requires us to shift our understanding and perceptions of what “good” looks like at work. This requires flexibility and focusing on the outcomes that must be accomplished rather than how, where, or when they will be accomplished - it may be possible to achieve the same outcome in a range of ways.

An adjustment is considered reasonable if it takes the requirements of the employee into account and balances the interests of all parties affected. An adjustment may be refused if it will cause unjustifiable hardship.

Supervisors who have concerns about the reasonableness of a request should contact to the DPC EDI team and discuss their concerns with the Manager, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

Step 4: Draft the Plan

Use the Workplace Adjustment Plan template to draft a Workplace Adjustment Plan detailing agreed adjustments, the work-related impacts they intend to address and the schedule for monitoring and reviewing the plan.

Forward the draft to the DPC EDI team (edi@csu.edu.au) if you need guidance before it's finalised. Finalised plans should be forwarded to the EDI team for record keeping.

The DPC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) team aim to help facilitate workplace adjustment outcomes that balance the needs of employees, their teams and the University.

Step 1:  Preparing for your request   

We recommend using Job Access's conversation guide - Making Workplace Adjustments Easy, Effective and Equitable before submitting your request. It includes a series of questions to help identify and articulate the barriers you're experiencing at work and the adjustments that may be helpful to overcome them.

Step 2: Submit a workplace adjustment request

An employee or their supervisor (with permission) can request an adjustment by submitting the following forms:

Requests are reviewed by the Health, Safety and Wellbeing team in the Division of Safety, Security and Wellbeing and the DPC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team. They aim to contact you within 3-5 business days to arrange a time to discuss your request.

Step 3: Meet with an EDI team member

The EDI team will arrange a 30-minute meeting with the employee to discuss the request and the assessment questions in the Workplace Adjustment Procedure.

This meeting helps the EDI team understand the barriers the employee is experiencing, the types of adjustments they're seeking and if specialist evaluation is needed to identify appropriate adjustments.

Step 4: Supervisor consultation

The EDI team will consult the employee's supervisor to discuss the proposed adjustments and the barriers they intend to overcome. Supervisors will be given time to consider and respond to the request.

Step 5: Supervisor considers request

Sometimes, accommodating the needs of staff with disability, neurodiversity and chronic conditions requires us to shift our understanding and perceptions of what “good” looks like at work. This requires flexibility and focusing on the outcomes that must be accomplished rather than how, where, or when they will be accomplished - it may be possible to achieve the same outcome in a range of ways.

An adjustment is considered reasonable if it takes employee's requirements into account while balancing the interests of all parties affected. An adjustment may be refused if it will cause unjustifiable hardship.

Supervisors who have concerns about the reasonableness of a workplace adjustment request should contact the DPC EDI team or the Manager, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion directly.

Step 6: Draft the Plan

The EDI team will work with the supervisor and employee to draft a Workplace Adjustment Plan which details the agreed adjustments, the work-related impacts they intend to address and a monitoring and review schedule.

A finalised plan is signed by the employee and supervisor and a copy is kept with the EDI team for record keeping.

Implementing, monitoring and updating a Plan

Implementing and reviewing a workplace adjustment plan is the joint responsibility of the employee and their supervisor. If the supervisor changes, the employee should ensure their new supervisor is aware of their plan. Employees are welcome to contact the DPC EDI team if they need advice with navigating this.

If they've received a copy of a plan, DPC will aim to contact the employee and supervisor four weeks after the plan has been signed off to check-in and see if any changes are required. Any changes or updates should be documented in the plan.

Ongoing monitoring and review are the responsibility of the employee and supervisor. They should review the plan least annually, however regular check-ins are recommended to ensure ongoing effectiveness. The employee may request a review or update of their plan at any stage if something changes in relation their condition/disability or work situation.

A plan may be closed if the condition/disability is temporary, and/or the employee no longer requires adjustments.

Funding workplace adjustments

In many cases, there is no direct cost or only a modest cost involved in implementing workplace adjustments. Where possible, funding for adjustments should be sought through external funding sources such as the Employment Assistance Fund (EAF).

The EAF gives financial help to eligible people with disability and mental health conditions and their employers to buy work related modifications, equipment, Auslan services and workplace assistance and support services. The EAF may also be able to provide a free workplace assessment for eligible employees to help work out what modifications or equipment will best meet their needs and help them do their job.

Eligibility requirements are detailed in the EAF Guidelines but include:

  • being an Australian Resident (or Temporary Protection Visa or Safe Haven Enterprise Visa holder)
  • employed in a job that is expected to continue for at least 13 weeks
  • working at least 8 hours a week
  • have an ongoing disability that has lasted, or will last at least two years and disability must limit, restrict or impair your ability to work.

Employees can contact or request funding for adjustments independently via the EAF but need to provide evidence of their employment as part of their application. This can be provided by a supervisor or by contacting the EDI team (edi@csu.edu.au).

Further details about funding arrangements for workplace adjustments are provided in the Workplace Adjustment Procedure.

Further information

  • Resources

    Resources for employees and supervisors

    Resources for employees

    Resources for supervisors

    • I am an employer | Job Access - Information on hiring people with disability, supporting mental health in the workplace and an employer toolkit to support supervisors and employees.
  • Legal frameworks

    Disability Discrimination Act

    The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) ensures that people with disability and those who care for someone with disability are protected from discrimination in employment across Australia. Under the DDA, employers are required to implement reasonable adjustments where required to enable a person with disability to perform the inherent requirements of their role unless it would result in unjustifiable hardship (see definitions below).

    NSW Anti-Discrimination Act

    In NSW, the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 also makes disability discrimination in the workplace unlawful. Employees with disability and carers may also request flexible working arrangements under certain conditions, as outlined in the National Employment Standards.

    The statutory responsibility to provide adjustment applies to all areas of employment including:

    • recruitment, selection and appointment
    • training and career development
    • performance management
    • promotion, transfer or any other employment benefit.

    Apart from providing reasonable adjustment, if an employee is unable to undertake the inherent requirements of their role position, the University has no legal obligation to ensure their ongoing employment.

  • Policy and procedure

    Disability and Work or Study Adjustment Policy

    Outlines the University's commitment to providing an accessible and inclusive work and study environment that enables staff and students with disability or caring responsibility for a person with disability to participate in university life on an equitable basis with other members of the University community. It also supports the University's legal and compliance obligations under relevant employment and education-focused legislation.

    The policy applies to current and prospective staff and students who have a temporary or permanent disability or medical condition or who have caring responsibilities for someone with disability (see definitions in Section 5).

    Disability and Work or Study Adjustment Policy

    Workplace Adjustment Procedure

    Describes how to request and implement workplace adjustments to accommodate non-work related injuries, medical conditions or disability. It applies to prospective and existing employees who have a temporary or permanent disability that impacts their ability to perform their job.

    ShapeWorkplace Adjustment Procedure