We have no plans to extend the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as we have already fulfilled our commitment to put in place a comprehensive set of enforceable civil rights for disabled people. In particular, we extended and improved the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 from 1 October 2004 to bring all small employers and previously excluded occupations, except service in the armed forces, within the scope of employment provisions of the Act.
For a disabled person to benefit from the protection provided by the Disability Discrimination Act, they must meet the Act's definition of a disabled person. In general, the Act defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out day-to-day activities. Someone with rheumatoid arthritis or a chronic health condition is protected by the Act if their condition meets this definition.