Sometimes job advertisements include “requirements” that are not essential to do the job safely and effectively.
If you can’t meet a requirement in a job advertisement because of your disability, and you believe that requirement is not essential to doing the job, then you should still consider applying.
Sometimes job advertisements include “requirements” that are not essential to doing the job in a safe or effective way. If you can’t meet a requirement in a job advertisement because of your disability, and you believe that requirement is not essential to doing the job, then you should still consider applying for the job.
When a job advertisement includes a “requirement” that is not essential to doing the job safely or effectively, the employer is not allowed to reject your application on the basis that you could not meet that requirement. The determination of whether or not a job requirement is essential is fact-dependent. Here’s an example:
Mary is looking for work. She is trained as an accountant and she has sight loss which prevents her from driving.
Mary sees a job advertisement for an accountant position that is based in one office and does not require travel to other locations. The job advertisement includes a requirement that “all applicants must have a driver’s licence”.
In this example, the requirement that applicants must have a driver’s licence is not essential because it does not affect whether someone can do the job in a safe or effective way.
If Mary chooses to apply for this job, the employer is not allowed to reject her application on the basis that she doesn’t have a driver’s licence.