An employee wants to move downstairs within our office space as she feels tired going up and down the stairs each day. She also has a bad knee and is awaiting results from a scan regarding the seriousness of the injury. There is no space for her downstairs but I am worried it is not best practice to say no. What should I do?

It is best practice for employers to try to use reasonable efforts to accommodate staff, and respond in a reasonable manner to requests for changes to the working environment.

If an employee is suffering a ‘disability’, the employer will have an obligation under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2011 (the “Acts”) to take appropriate measures to accommodate the employee continuing in employment. Employers are not obliged to incur a disproportionate burden or expense when providing appropriate measures for employees with disabilities.

An employer's failure to take appropriate measures in respect of an employee with a disability may give rise to a breach of the Acts. An employee who