UCD Staff Census
To be completed by ALL staff (including temporary or part-time staff) who commenced employment with UCD in 2011
This census of staff, which is circulated to all Universities by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), is to enable UCD as a public sector employer to meet its requirement under the Disability Act 2005 to report each year on the number and percentage of staff with disabilities. To do so, we must build an accurate record of the number of staff with disabilities, according to the legal definition given below.
To ensure the returns are accurate and complete, every staff member, whether or not they have any impairment or disability, is asked to complete the form and submit it in strict confidence to the Equality & Diversity Unit by Thursday 1 March 2012.
Under the Disability Act 2005, public sector bodies are obliged to:
- promote and support the employment of people with disabilities
- ensure, where practicable, that 3% of all staff employed are people with disabilities
- report each year on the number and percentage of staff with disabilities
The Disability Act 2005 defines disability as:
"Disability, in relation to a person, means a substantial restriction in the capacity of the person to carry on a profession, business or occupation in the State or to participate in social or cultural life in the State by reason of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment."
Each year the Equality & Diversity Unit will contact new staff asking them to complete the form.
To enable UCD meet its requirement to report each year on the number and percentage of staff with a disability, and to ensure the returns are accurate and complete, every staff member, whether or not they have any impairment or disability (within the meaning of the Disability Act 2005), is asked to complete the census form.
The information provided on the form will be treated as confidential and stored securely by the Equality & Diversity Unit.
Use of the data
It will be used for statistical purposes to report on the number of people with disabilities employed by UCD. Your personal details will be kept confidential at all times by the Equality & Diversity Unit and reported on anonymously.
The information collected in this way will be kept until you leave the employment of UCD, or you inform the Equality & Diversity Unit that there is a change in your disability status. You can ask to change the information on your disability status at any time if you believe it is no longer accurate by contacting Fiona Keane, Equality & Diversity Manager on ext: 4940.
Each year, a statistical return of the number and percentage of staff with disabilities in UCD will be reported to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and to the relevant Minister (Department of Education and Science).
The HEA is the statutory monitoring committee for the achievement of the 3% employment target. The Monitoring Committee of each Government Department reports annually to the National Disability Authority (NDA) on the statistics of achievement of the 3% employment target in the individual public bodies.
The NDA's report goes to the Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform and will be published on the NDA website.
The information that you provide will be kept confidential at all times by the Equality & Diversity Unit.
It will be stored securely and only nominated staff authorised for this purpose will be allowed to access this information.
This information will not be stored on the main HR personnel file and therefore will never be used for any other purpose e.g. recruitment, access to training, PMDS, etc.
Your right to see or alter this information
You have a legal right to see the information on record about your disability status, and to seek to change it if you believe it is no longer accurate. Please contact the Equality & Diversity Manager on ext: 4940 for further information.
Related policies and publications
UCD Code of Practice for the Employment of People with Disabilities
Guide to the Disability Act 2005
For further information on the 3% Employment target National Disability Authority
The census will be carried out online each year. To request the census form in hard copy format or if you have any queries in relation to this or disability related matters, please contact Fiona Keane, Equality & Diversity Manager at ext. 4940 or fiona.keane@ucd.ie
If you acquire a disability and wish to complete the form or update the information you have previously given at any stage throughout your employment please contact Fiona Keane, Equality & Diversity Manager at ext. 4940 or fiona.keane@ucd.ie