Workplace Reasonable Adjustment Plan

What are Reasonable Adjustments in the workplace?

Reasonable adjustments are administrative, physical or procedural alterations of or in the workplace which aim to remove barriers for staff with disability or health conditions so that they can perform the inherent requirements of their role.

Workplace reasonable adjustments are made available to staff with evidence supporting a medically diagnosed disability or chronic health condition to ensure an equitable and inclusive employment environment for all staff. Adjustments may be permanent or temporary, depending on the nature of the disability or health condition and the requirements of the individual hired to perform a role. A Workplace Reasonable Adjustment Plan (WRAP) is supported by the University’s Disability Policy.

Examples of Reasonable Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments are specific to the individual staff member taking into account their individual circumstances and the inherent requirements of their role. Adjustments can include but are not limited to:

What is the Process?

Eligibility for Workplace Reasonable Adjustments requires that a staff member has a disability or chronic health condition and needs modifications to their working environment to support them in fulfilling the inherent requirements of their role.

An eligible person, seeking a Workplace Reasonable Adjustment Plan (WRAP) is advised to initially consult with their supervisor (if safe to do so), to communicate their intention and the rationale for any assistance required in fulfilling their work responsibilities. In some cases, supervisors may be able to implement adjustments directly e.g. adjusting monitors, moving the location of the desk due to glare, the request to wear sunglasses in the office etc. In such instances the formalisation of the adjustment may not be necessary.

Should either party believe that this request will need to be formalised due to:

Then they must proceed with the next steps:

1. The staff member will request for a Workplace Reasonable Adjustment Plan (WRAP) Application Form by emailing whs@westernsydney.edu.au. Please include the following details:

This step is essential as it enables the Health and Safety team to generate a record within the SOLV safety system, including the creation of a WSU-INJ-xxx case number, ensuring all documentation related to your request is confidentially maintained by the Health and Safety Team.

2. The Health and Safety team will respond from the systems email address (emails@solv.com.au). It will include a cc’d email address notes-injury@solv.com.au, an attached WRAP Application form (in a WordDoc format), the case number (WSU-INJ-xxx) in the subject line. Please ensure this case number remains in all correspondence. This will assist with record keeping.

  1. The staff member and supervisor must assess whether the requested modifications can be accommodated at the unit level. The process of implementing these accommodations may be resolved collaboratively between the staff member and supervisor, particularly for straightforward adjustments such as changes to working hours or modifications to the workstation. In situations where a formal WRAP is required, the agreed-upon modifications should be documented in the final WRAP application and submitted to Health and Safety team for review and approval (via email response to notes-injury@solv.com.au, ensuring to include the case number (WSU-INJ-xxx) in the subject line.

The Health and Safety team's review and approval process involves verifying that all necessary details are included in the adjustment request and establishing a review period (e.g. 12 months). The final document will then be sent to obtain a signature from both parties.

This step, at the unit level, is to help foster collaboration at the workplace and is typically used when there is an acute or temporary illness/injury that is being accommodated.

  1. For other WRAP requests that fall outside of the above process (e.g. chronic health condition, permanent mobility conditions, or if the supervisor determines that additional information is needed to understand the requested modifications. Then the WRAP Application Form must be completed by a treating doctor or specialist. All relevant sections related to the disability or chronic health condition should be filled out. The medical doctor or specialist needs to provide comprehensive information, including specific details outlining the required adjustments and/or equipment.

General statements such as ‘reduced hours’ do not offer sufficient clarification. For example, if a potential reduction in work hours needs to be considered by a supervisor, it is important that the medical advice includes clear, actionable instructions. If the medical doctor or specialist recommends that an employee works no more than three hours per day with a one-hour break between each hour of work, this information should be documented in the relevant section of the WRAP. This process aims to reduce correspondence between employees, healthcare providers, and supervisors, thereby minimising additional administrative and medical costs for the staff requesting the WRAP.

  1. The completed WRAP Application Form, including agreed review timeframe (e.g. 12 months) and relevant supporting documentation (e.g. letter from psychologist) are to be sent as attachments to the cc’d email notes-injury@solv.com.au ensuring that the subject line of that email includes the case number (e.g. WSU-INJ-001).

A review date is required to ensure that the contents of the plan remain relevant, accurate and beneficial for both staff and supervisor. The maximum review period is 24 months. Both staff member and supervisor will need to agree to a review period. This is then entered into SOLV as an Update Note which is ‘pinned’ to case number with the title “Review WRAP”. The due date is set as the agreed timeframe for review e.g. If plan was signed by both parties on the 18 June 2024 with an agreed review period of 12 months, then the due date for this would be 18 June 2025.

If the information provided has insufficient details or is unclear, additional clarification will be required. For instance, simply stating "reduced hours of work from Monday to Friday" does not constitute adequate information. In such cases, Health and Safety team will request that the completed form specifically addresses the exact working hours for each day—Monday through to Friday—including start and end times, to ensure accurate identification of reduced hours.

N.B. if the request is to reduce hours of work or other Enterprise Agreement impacting decisions, it is recommended that you seek advice from People Services on HR related advice before proceeding.

  1. Please note that the initial response email from notes-injury@solv.com.au may take up to two weeks due to current resources.

If a WRAP application requires verification of a diagnosed disability or chronic health condition, a member of the Health and Safety Team may be involved. This typically occurs when the staff member does not wish to disclose the nature of their medical condition.

The Health and Safety team will review the provided medical information to determine if the application meets the criteria. The team will then liaise with the supervisor to discuss potential accommodations, such as changes to room assignments or adjustments to screen time, as appropriate.

It’s important to note that the diagnosed does not need to be disclosed with the staff members supervisor. However, doing so would streamline the process.

Should additional assistance be necessary, a member of the Health and Safety Team will contact the staff member and their supervisor to discuss potential modifications and reasonable adjustments in order to facilitate the completion of the WRAP.

The formalised signed WRAP is attached to the case number within SOLV, and the task is assigned a due date that corresponds to the agreed review period.

All equipment included in the signed WRAP will be organised by a member of the Health and Safety Team with the costs transferred to a centralised WRAP fund.

A condition of the equipment being approved is that the requested equipment be deemed as reasonable.

All equipment being provided for use in the workplace will need to be replicated in the home of the staff member at their own cost should the staff member be exercising their option for flexible work arrangements (working from home).

Workplace Adjustments for Staff without disability or chronic health conditions

Staff sometimes have requirements for adjustments but may not meet the eligibility for a WRAP. Some needs can be met with flexible working arrangements under the Workplace Flexibility Policy. Additionally, the Health & Safety Team supports and encourages supervisors and staff to perform Ergonomic Workstation Assessments together by discussing how to mitigate the risks associated with incorrect ergonomics (workstation equipment setup), at-risk ergonomic behaviours and discuss possible alternative office equipment or furniture required. This would be purchased from the Unit Funded Request at the cost of the Business Unit making the purchase.

Further information

For further information contact the Safety and Wellbeing Team via whs@westernsydney.edu.au .