The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly changed the work situation for many employees and is ushering in a new world order for the future work environments. But how is it impacting employees with disabilities, a category of employees perceived to be more vulnerable than the rest? The United Nations has remarked that Covid-19 is exacerbating hardship for persons with disabilities.
In this webinar, we will explore the challenges and opportunities that the current situation triggers for disabled employees and employers, including:
Employees with long-term and underlying health conditions may be at higher risk if they contract Covid-19 and employees with mental health issues may feel increased anxiety and stress levels. This may negatively affect the employees’ ability to attend work and enhance the risk of discrimination and job loss. In some jurisdictions, employees are entitled to reasonable adjustments to accommodate such a situation, but to what extent does the legal framework protect employees with long-term health conditions; and
Working from home is now becoming the 'new normal' and may improve work opportunities for employees with disabilities and make organisations more inclusive in their approach. On the 'Official Microsoft Blogs', Microsoft has stated that when it comes to working remotely 'The biggest source of knowledge right now are your employees, especially those in your disabilities communities.'
The world is keeping a close watch on various countries’ responses to Covid-19, especially with respect to the most vulnerable in the society, including persons with disability.
As Co-Chairs of the Disability Rights Working Group, we feel it is our responsibility to initiate an engaging and mindful discussion on the challenges and opportunities these extraordinary times are posing from a diversity and equality standpoint for disabled persons across the world.
Certificate of Attendance
Certificates of attendance for this webinar will be provided to all IBA members who have registered in advance and attended the live broadcast for a minimum of 30 minutes based on verified sign-in and sign-out times. Certificates can only be issued to the name provided at the time of registration.
Currently only IBA members will be provided with a certificate free of charge. IBA members should use the email address you have on file with the IBA to register for this webinar if you require a certificate of attendance.
Certificates for non-members are chargeable, please make enquiries at webinars@int-bar.org.
Yvonne Frederiksen Norrbom Vinding, Copenhagen; Co-Chair, Disability Rights Working Group, IBA Diversity and Equality Law Committee
Lucy Hendley is a UK qualified employment solicitor at Lewis Silkin and a CEDR accredited mediator. She heads up a team delivering training on all areas of employment law to a wide range of clients across different sectors. In particular, she works with HR professionals and managers in the areas of diversity and discrimination law and designs and delivers training modules to meet her clients’ needs. Lucy often runs sessions for clients on disability awareness and, as a wheelchair user, has a particular insight in this area. Lucy is also a workplace mediator and works with clients to resolve disputes arising between employees or between individuals and their managers in the workplace.
Jonathan Andrews
Jonathan Andrews is an associate in Reed Smith’s global Entertainment and Media Industry Group, based in the London office. Jonathan has experience in a range of transactional, advisory and litigation work and has undertaken secondments to leading international clients Bauer Media and GVC. Jonathan has been recognised on a national and international level for best practice in Diversity & Inclusion over several years, including recognition from the European Diversity Awards in 2016, World Autism Awards and Queens Young Leaders Program in 2017, the UK Diversity Legal Awards in 2018, the Law Society Excellence Awards and an Oxford University Social Mobility report in 2019, and the Franco-British Council in 2020. He advises clients such as Bauer Media on diversity and inclusion strategy at the highest level, with a particular expertise in disability and neurodiversity.
Devjani H. Mishra
Devjani H. Mishra is a Shareholder in Littler’s New York office, where she advises management regarding all aspects of the employer-employee relationship. Prior to joining Littler, Devjani spent seven years as the primary in-house employment counsel for a global biotechnology company serving patients in more than 50 countries. Devjani is one of the leaders of Littler’s COVID-19 Task Force and Return to Work Team, helping employers navigate the unique workplace disruptions caused by the global pandemic and the accompanying business restrictions. She advises companies of all sizes, from startups to multinational corporations, on a full range of complex workforce challenges, including planning and performing transactional due diligence, workforce integration and business restructuring; building corporate compliance and ethics programs, performing employment practices audits and managing internal investigations; and addressing employee requests for flexible work, accommodation and military, medical and family leaves of absence. Devjani is also an experienced employment litigator, and regularly represents management in federal and state courts and agencies. Devjani received her B.A. in Political Science with distinction from Yale University and her J.D. from Columbia University School of Law, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She is a regular presenter on employment law topics at the American Bar Association, the Practising Law Institute, the American Employment Law Council and in other forums.
Sarah Rey
Sarah Rey is the managing partner of workplace-relations law firm Justitia based in Melbourne, Australia. In her legal practice she provides advice about interpersonal conflict resolution, discrimination and bullying complaints, workplace investigations and alternatives to employment litigation to State Government agencies, local government, education and professional service organisations. Justitia has received awards including “Law Firm of the Year” from the Law Institute of Victoria and the Sir Ken Robinson Award for Workforce Flexibility by the Australian Human Resource Institute. Sarah is a Director of the Association of Workplace Investigators in the US, and was instrumental in creating the Australasian chapter.