The Hotline is not a crisis service. Should you need emergency support, please contact Police, Ambulance or Fire on, 000, or one of the services below:, Lifeline, Phone: 13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.au Available 24 hours a day/seven days a week Anyone experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide Online counselling available at set times - see website for details, Suicide Call Back Service, Phone: 1300 659 467 www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au Anyone aged 15+ years who is suicidal, caring for someone who is suicidal, bereaved by suicide, or a health professional supporting a suicidal individual Available 24 hours a day / seven days a week Access up to six x one hour telephone counselling sessions Online counselling available at set times - see website for details, Beyond Blue, Phone: 1300 22 46 36 Available 24 hours a day / seven days a week. The support service personnel are there to listen, provide information and advice, and point people in the right direction so they can seek further support, for the cost of a local call (may be more for mobiles). www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support You can chat online 3pm - 12am, 7 days a week. Email us and…, Kids Helpline, Phone: 1800 55 1800 www.kidshelp.com.au Young people aged five to 25 years Available 24 hours a day / seven days a week Web and email counselling, MensLine Australia, Phone: 1300 78 99 78 www.mensline.org.au Men, all ages Available 24 hours a day / seven days a week Online and video counselling at set times - see website for details Access up to six x one hour telephone counselling sessions. Services also available in Arabic., Sexual assault, family and domestic violence Line, Phone: 1800 424 017 www.1800respect.org.au For anyone in Australia who has experienced or is at risk of sexual assault, family or domestic violence and their non-offending supporters., Sane Help Centre, www.sane.org/get-help Phone: 1800 187 263 Talk to a mental health professional (weekdays 10am-10pm AEST).
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There are ways you can support employees with conditions that affect the use of their hands, arms and legs. This might include equipment or small changes to work areas. There is funding available to help cover the costs., Fine hand coordination and lifting, Conditions that affect movement of the hands include: acquired brain injuries quadriplegia carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis diseases of the central nervous system such as multiple sclerosis . People need fine hand coordination for a range of tasks like writing, using tools and equipment, driving machinery, preparing food and using items like telephones or keyboards. An employee may also…, Making workplace adjustments, To help employees who have trouble with fine hand coordination and lifting, you can make changes to their work area and way they work. For example: where possible, make sure the employee is sitting or standing in a way that allows them to use their hands more freely. For example, an ergonomic seat can help employees who are sitting place items in easy reach to prevent over-reaching use adjustable…, Reaching, Reaching for equipment can be hard for people who have limited movement in their arms and hands, back or neck pain, or physical disability. Reaching can cause pain and strain, or it may not be possible due to the person’s condition., Making workplace adjustments, There are many products that help people to reduce the risks involved with reaching. If the employee’s job involves answering the telephone a lot, like in a call centre, they can use supports such as headsets, hands-free telephones and accessible call centre systems. Reachers, step stools and order pickers can help people to pick up items that are above their head height., Mobility, There are changes you can make in the workplace to help people with disability or injury that affects how they move around. People with severe mobility restrictions may need mobility training by an allied health professional., Making workplace adjustments, You can support mobility at work with different workplace modifications and products. For example: changing the layout of the office to meet specific mobility needs moving specific workspaces to a more accessible area. You can help people who use walking aids, scooters or wheelchairs by making sure: pathways, walkways and entrances are clear there are no mats to cause trip accidents small steps…, Walking, Walking takes strength, range of movement and coordination. This can be affected by disability, injury or health condition. For example, a person with rheumatoid arthritis may find it hard to walk due to weakness, pain and fatigue. A person with spinal cord injury may find it hard to walk due to paralysis, weakness or changes to sensation., Making workplace adjustments, For jobs that involve a lot of walking, like sales, retail and cleaning, there are changes employers and staff can make reduce the impact on the body. For example: correct floor coverings, such as anti-fatigue matting, carpet alternatives and non-slip surfaces wearing work appropriate and supportive footwear with cushioned shoe inserts or orthotics if needed changing between sitting, standing and…, Working while standing, Working as a chef, shop assistant, factory worker, customer service assistant, hairdresser, waiter, nurse or teacher usually requires working while standing. This may involve doing tasks: above head height at a medium height down low. Working in a standing position may be difficult for a person with disability. When doing work while standing, it’s important to look at the position of each part of…, Making workplace adjustments, Employers should support staff to use safe work practices when working in a standing position. For example: doing stretches and mobility exercises on a regular basis taking regular breaks from standing. For example, after every 20 to 30 minutes of standing, do a seated task or walk for 2 to 3 minutes. It’s also very important for employees to have well-fitting comfortable shoes, suitable for…, Climbing, Climbing involves going up or down structures or objects using your feet, legs, hands and arms. Climbing ladders, stairs, poles or posts, scaffolding or ramps can be part of many jobs and can be hard for people with disability. Climbing and working up high can be a health and safety risk at work. Employers or people who are self-employed must assess safety risks and find ways to prevent or…, Making workplace adjustments, There are adjustments that can help if an employee finds climbing hard, or if climbing may be risky for them. For example: consider changes to the role or tasks so the employee doesn’t need to climb reduce how often employees need to climb, if possible use handrails, stair lifts or more regular landings in ramps change work systems and practices – for example, rotate employees between jobs train…, Financial support for workplace changes, The Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) helps fund work-related modifications, equipment and services to help people with disability get a job and support them at work. To work out if your employees are eligible, visit Funding for changes in the workplace .
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A person who is blind or has low vision may need to do some tasks in a different way to sighted employees. But that doesn’t mean they can’t do the job. There are many ways you can support employees who are blind or have vision loss. This might include simple changes to work areas and tasks or using assistive technology. You can also get funding for workplace adjustments. , Blindness and low vision at work, How a person’s level of vision affects their work can vary. It can depend on: how well they know the job or task the assistive technology available for them the support at work. Blindness or low vision may affect an employee ability to read, uses a computer, drive, operate machinery and handle money. It may also affect how they move safely around the workplace., Understanding blindness, low vision and eye conditions, Complete vision loss or blindness means severe loss of vision or having no vision. The term ‘low vision’ means a person has some sight loss. A person with blindness or low vision may use a white cane, guide dog or a GPS device to help them get around. Someone who is colour blind is not blind but their condition affects how they see some colours. For more information on blindness and low vision…, Making workplace adjustments to support your staff, There are ways to help employees with vision loss to better manage at work. This could include changes to work tasks, methods and work areas. Changes you make will depend on what the employee needs., Changing workspaces, Workplace modifications you might make for an employee who is blind or has low vision include: using markers or signs that you can touch marking edges of steps so they stand out checking lighting to make sure it meets Australian standards adding lighting for specific tasks for extra brightness or contrast placing all items employees use often within easy reach moving workstations or putting up…, Providing software and equipment, You can also support staff with assistive technology and devices, such as: software to help make computer displays bigger text to speech software on computers and mobile phones larger computer monitors to help with viewing text and changing contrast, colours and brightness aids and devices to magnify documents scanning software so employees can scan hard copy documents to view or listen to on…, Changing work tasks and methods, The employee who is blind or has low vision will likely have their own strategies and can tell you what they need. Examples of changes you might make include: helping employees who need to tell the difference between colours, or not giving them colour dependant tasks letting employees take regular eye rest breaks. , Financial support for workplace changes, The Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) helps fund work-related changes. It pays for modifications, equipment and services to help people with disabilities get a job and keep a job. To work out if your employees are eligible, see the full guidelines .
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This website is presented by the Commonwealth of Australia as represented by the Department of Social Services (the department) for the purpose of disseminating information for the benefit of all Australians. The department monitors the quality of the information available on this website and updates the information regularly. However, the department does not make any representation, warranty, or…, Security of the website, This website applies a range of security controls to protect from unauthorised access. However, users should be aware that the World Wide Web is an insecure public network that gives rise to a potential risk that a user's transactions are being viewed, intercepted, or modified by third parties or that files which the user downloads may contain computer viruses, disabling codes, worms or other…, Links to external websites, This website may contain links to other websites that are external to this website. This website takes reasonable care in linking websites but has no direct control over the content of the linked websites, or the changes that may occur to the content on those websites. It is the responsibility of the user to make their own decisions about the accuracy, currency, reliability, and correctness of…, Copyright, The Commonwealth of Australia as represented by the Department of Social Services (the department) encourages the dissemination and exchange of information provided on this website. Unless otherwise noted, the department owns the copyright in this website, including all text, images, software, logos and icons, sound recordings and HTML code. Subject to any third-party copyright otherwise noted,…, Third Party Copyright, Wherever a third party holds copyright in material presented on this website, the copyright remains with that party. Their permission may be required to use the material. The department has made all reasonable efforts to: clearly label material where the copyright is owned by a third party, and ensure that the copyright owner has consented to this material being presented on this website., Using the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, The terms of use for the Coat of Arms are available from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet website ., Contact Us, Enquiries about copyright arrangements and any use of this information can be sent to us:, By email:, copyright@dss.gov.au, By post:, Business Data and Analytics Branch Department of Social Services GPO Box 9820 Canberra ACT 2601
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We are committed to making this website accessible and usable for everyone, including for people with disabilities. We’ve included features so you can get information in different ways, such as audio and Easy Read. Some videos are also available in Auslan. If there’s information you can’t access, please contact us ., Accessibility standards, We designed this website to meet the Australian Government standards. We aim to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 level AA. These are the guidelines developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)., Text size, You can use the zoom option on your browser to make the text on this website bigger or smaller. On Windows, use the ‘Control’ key with the + or - keys. On Mac, use the ‘Command’ key with the + or - keys., Text to speech, Pages on this website will have a Listen button. You can use this to hear the text on a page read aloud. The Listen feature lets you change the settings, such as the volume and speed of the speech. If you’re using: a desktop computer, make sure your desktop speaker is on a mobile device, make sure it’s not on silent., PDF and other documents, Some resources on this website are in PDF file format that you can view in your browser or download. We also provide Microsoft Word versions of the files. To read PDF files you need PDF viewing software on your device. If you don’t already have it, you can download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free from the Adobe website., Plain language and Easy Read, We’ve tried to write the information on this website in plain English so it’s easy to understand for as many people as possible. The pages in the People with disability section of the website are also available in Easy Read format. Easy Read is a way of presenting information using simple terms, short sentences, and pictures to show the meaning of the text. You can switch Easy Read on and off…
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There is a lot you can do to support employees who have multiple sclerosis (MS). MS can affect a person in many different ways, so it’s important to be flexible. You can get funding to help with workplace changes, equipment and support services., Understanding multiple sclerosis, Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system. It can affect the way the nerves of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves send signals to muscles. The experience of MS varies from person to person. People may have times when their symptoms improve, get worse or they have no symptoms at all. Symptoms can include: problems with control of the body - muscle spasms and problems with…, Making workplace adjustments to support your staff, Symptoms are unique to each person with MS, the key is to be flexible and provide a supportive workplace. You may need to review an employee’s job duties and needs over time, to help them stay independent at work. Following are adjustments you can make to support your employee based on their needs., Supporting daily living, To help employees with activities of daily living, you can: let them have a support worker as needed let them use a service animal at work make sure the toilets and kitchen are accessible for mobility aids and wheelchairs make sure their workstation is close to the toilets let them take longer breaks or more frequent short breaks consider whether they can work from home provide access to a fridge…, Supporting focus and memory, To help employees who have trouble with focus and memory, you can: give instructions in writing where possible prioritise their job assignments allow the employee flexible working hours allow the employee regular rest periods provide the employee memory aids like schedulers and organisers allow the employee to work at their own pace reduce job stress. See also our guide Guide to supporting…, Helping with tiredness or weakness, To help employees who experience fatigue or weakness, you can: reduce or remove physical effort needed to do the job and workplace stress schedule regular rest breaks for the employee away from their workstation allow the employee a flexible work schedule and flexible use of leave let the employee work from home provide ergonomic workstations – that is, workstations that are designed to be…, Supporting fine hand coordination, To help employees who need support with fine motor skills such as writing, you can provide: an ergonomic workstation assistive technology, such as voice recognition software, so the employee doesn’t need to type and use a mouse forearm supports for computer use pen grips for writing a page turner. See also our guide to Supporting employees with conditions that affect the upper and lower limbs…, Supporting movement around the workplace, To help employees who need support with moving around, you can make changes to make your workplace wheelchair accessible. For example, make sure hallways are clear and that the employee’s desk is high enough to fit their legs under. The employee should be able to access all areas in the workplace they need to use. You can also provide: accessible parking close to the workplace entrance an…, Supporting temperature control, To help employees who experience heat sensitivity, you can: adjust the workplace temperature such as by blocking direct sunlight coming though windows set up air conditioners and fans at their workstation let the employee take leave as it suits them let the employee to work from home during hot weather., Helping with speech problems, To help employees with speech difficulties, you can: provide them with speech amplification, speech enhancement or other assistive devices share information in writing, for example using email or a tablet make changes to the employee’s role so that it doesn’t require a lot of talking let the employee to take regular rest breaks., Supporting vision conditions, To help employees who have problems with vision, you can: provide the employee with devices to magnify written material provide the employee with large print material control screen glare by adding a screen filter to the employee’s computer make sure office lighting meets Australian standards and use extra task lighting where required let the employee take regular rest breaks. See also our guide…, Financial support for workplace changes, The Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) helps fund work-related changes, equipment and services to help people with disability to get and keep a job. To work out if your employees are eligible, see the Who is eligible for Employment Assistance Fund full guidelines .
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Find out how you can support employees who have intellectual or learning disabilities, brain injury, and other conditions that affect the way people think and process information.
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A workplace assessor can help decide what changes a workplace needs to support an employee with disability. They can also assess an employee’s productivity. Assessments are free through the Employment Assistance Fund or the Supported Wage System., Assessments for workplace adjustments, Employees with disability might be able to get a free workplace assessment when applying for support through the Employment Assistance Fund (EAF). An assessment looks at what adjustments, equipment or services the person needs to support them to do their job. This is called a Workplace Modification Assessment. The assessor will visit the workplace and: check the physical workplace and work areas…, Assessments for the Supported Wage System, After an application for the Supported Wage System (SWS) is approved, an assessor will visit the workplace to check the employee’s work productivity. This is to help decide their rate of pay and any change to wages. The assessor will look at information such as: the employee's job description time they spend on each task the hours and days they work break times how much supervision they need. The…, About the assessors, Different workplace assessors specialise in different industries and areas of work. The Department of Social Services (DSS) has a list of organisations that are approved to do workplace assessments across Australia. This is called the National Panel of Assessors. You can download a full list of current organisations from the DSS website National Panel of Assessors page .
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Find out how you can help employees with physical disability. Staff with vision, hearing and physical conditions can thrive at work with the right support. There is funding available for workplace changes and services.
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