The link leads to the story about EastEnders actress Kiruna Stamell who successfully sued the post office for not making the reasonable adjustment of having movable teathered pin machines and humiliating her by building steps with cardboard boxes.
Ok, hands up, at first when I spied the headline I thought: but all those pin machines are mobile and what not and I simply don't test that theory because I might end up swinging it around like a lightsaber making bing noises and then the men in blue come and I have to quietly leave. (Where's my armed response unit? usual gets a laugh and a shove).
Apparently not all pin machines are built equal. It's only a shame that a good idea that should be standard isn't, but what I suspect happened was a company rep from pin machine co came out and quoted the basic price but then gave a little talk about reasonable adjustments and how for only £XXX.XX more they could make them fully opposable and the Post Office bod baulked, thought it was a gimmicky sell with a story and quickly ushered the rep out the door.
It's a shame it took a court case to highlight it, but it shows how simple a reasonable adjustment could be. Lower counter top, moving pin machines, ramps instead of or as well as steps. The thing about reasonable adjustments is they cannot be outlandish and the company, if they really are cruel, can claim that due to impact on profits or staff levels etc the adjustment isn't reasonable. This of course can trigger further court cases etc.
I'm a little sorry that the Post Office didn't make this more of a PR exercise, and not try to fight it. Fighting disabled people about being unreasonable does no one any favours.
Anyway, good on her.
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