GSP 25-24 An Post Disability Survey
05/November/2024
Description
An Post is shortly undertaking a survey of employees to ascertain the number of employees with a disability.
Under the Disability Act 2005 the Company has several legal responsibilities one of which is to report the number and percentage of employees with disabilities in the workplace. An Post, as a commercial Semi-State organisation, has a disability employment target of 3% of its total employee population to comply with the 2005 Act. This will be increased to 6% by 2025.
This target is a positive action measure designed to ensure public service employers are proactive in providing employment and career opportunities for a group who face a higher-than-average risk of exclusion from employment.
The Company reported to the Monitoring Committee for the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources that the percentage of employees declaring themselves as having a disability under the definition contained within the Disability Act for 2022 is 3.85% which is down on previous years.
The provision of accurate data for the purposes of the Disability Act 2005 is a statutory obligation on An Post. In that regard staff surveys are considered an acceptable means of gathering this data.
The Disability Act 2005 defines Disability as follows:
“Disability, in relation to a person, means a substantial restriction in the capacity of the person to carry on a profession, business or occupation in the State or to participate in social or cultural life in the State by reason of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment”
The survey undertaken by the Company is anonymous. The Company Diversity Managers accessing the data will not be able to trace any particular response and will only see collated results.
The survey will be available through the Post People App. The company has also circulated posters to all offices which contains a QR code. By scanning the QR code members will be able to complete the survey. The survey will take no longer than 2 minutes to complete and should be completed by the 2nd December.
The Union is requesting the co-operation of members in this initiative as it will assist the Union both in retaining people in employment who attain disabilities in the course of their work as well as identifying opportunities for the employment of people with disabilities.
Please bring to the attention of all members.