With the British Sign Language (BSL) Act 2022 and the Equality Act 2010, UK businesses need to ensure their HR policies are inclusive and legally compliant. But what do these laws actually mean for your workplace, and what steps should you take to make your business more accessible for Deaf employees and customers?
What the Law Says
✅ The Equality Act 2010 – This law protects Deaf employees from discrimination and requires employers to make reasonable adjustments to remove workplace barriers. This could mean providing BSL interpreters, captioning, or Deaf awareness training. The law applies across all stages of employment, from hiring to promotion and beyond, ensuring that Deaf employees have equal access to work opportunities and are not disadvantaged by inaccessible processes.
✅ The BSL Act 2022 – While this law doesn’t create new rights, it recognises BSL as an official language in England, Scotland, and Wales. This is pushing businesses and public services to improve BSL access and consider Deaf people’s needs more proactively. The UK Government is also committed to producing new guidance on how public services should support BSL users, which will likely influence private-sector expectations as well.
How This Affects Your HR Policies
1️⃣ Recruitment & Hiring
If your job applications, interviews, and onboarding processes aren’t accessible, you could be unintentionally excluding Deaf candidates. Ensure:
Job descriptions are available in multiple formats, including BSL video descriptions where necessary.
Application processes offer accessible communication options, such as video applications or BSL submissions.
Interviews offer BSL interpreters or other reasonable adjustments, such as speech-to-text services.
Induction materials include captioning, BSL translation, or written alternatives to ensure full comprehension.
2️⃣ Workplace Accessibility & Adjustments
Many Deaf employees struggle with everyday workplace communication. Employers must provide:
BSL interpreters for meetings, training, and one-to-ones to ensure Deaf employees can participate fully.
Live captioning or speech-to-text technology to make verbal communication accessible in both virtual and in-person settings.
Deaf awareness training for teams to foster an inclusive workplace culture and ensure colleagues understand best communication practices.
Flexible communication methods, such as video relay services, instant messaging, and visual alerts, to ensure Deaf employees can communicate effectively with colleagues.
3️⃣ Career Progression & Training
Lack of access to training and development can hold back talented Deaf employees. Your business should ensure:
Training sessions are fully accessible with interpreters, captions, and other tools to ensure learning isn’t limited by communication barriers.
Deaf employees can access mentorship and leadership opportunities by providing role models and peer support networks.
Internal promotions are fair and inclusive, with assessment methods that account for accessibility needs and do not inadvertently disadvantage Deaf employees.
4️⃣ Deaf Customer Experience
The rise of the BSL Act means Deaf customers expect (and deserve) equal access to services. Businesses should:
Provide BSL video guides or BSL-speaking customer support agents to ensure direct communication with Deaf customers.
Train frontline staff in basic BSL and Deaf awareness, enabling them to assist Deaf customers without barriers.
Ensure online content has BSL translation or captioning, making your services and information fully accessible to the Deaf community.
Offer BSL-accessible complaint and feedback channels so that Deaf customers can engage with your business equally.
What’s Next? Take Action Now!
This isn’t just about compliance—it’s about creating an inclusive, welcoming workplace that benefits everyone. Making small changes today can help attract and retain talented Deaf employees and create loyal Deaf customers.
✅ Review your HR policies now to ensure they align with the latest legal requirements.
✅ Invest in Deaf awareness training to educate your team on best practices.
✅ Improve accessibility in hiring, workplace communication, and customer interactions.
Need support with Deaf awareness training, BSL interpreters, or accessibility reviews? We’re here to help!
Let’s chat about practical steps to make your business truly Deaf-inclusive.
