Information for Staff with a Disability

The Code of Practice Applying to the Employment of People with Disabilities is the core document which outlines the University's commitment to supporting staff with disabilities. The code of practice describes entitlements and duties regarding staff with disabilities. It also describes manager's obligations to implement the code.

These guidelines are designed as an information resource: they are by no means exhaustive or prescriptive. For further guidance please refer to the Code of Practice or sources of contact.

The Disability Service is responsible for carrying out an needs assessment for staff with disabilities in Trinity. Disability needs assessments determine the level of support that staff require. Based on appropriate evidence of disability and information obtained from the staff on the impact of their disability and their work, the Disability Staff member will identify supports designed to meet the staff members disability support needs.

The following areas are addressed:

• Nature of disability or condition, to include: impact on education, severity, hospital admissions etc.;
• Treatment: any medication they are taking, outpatients' appointments, physiotherapy;
• Previous support: what arrangements were made in their workplace, if any;
• Current difficulties: what difficulties does the staff member anticipate they may have with their work;
• Access to equipment and IT facilities;
• Appropriate work based and disability support. These might include, for example, accessible workplace, in-work support,

The Needs Assessment process also helps determine whether or not the staff member requires funded supports that will be supported via a staff with disability cost code in Trinity Human Resources. 

Code of Practice Staff with Disabilities

Staff Disability Liaison Officer

As of 2026, the TCD Disability Service has established an exciting new role  — the Staff Disability Liaison Officer (Staff DLO) — within Trinity College Dublin.

This role will be taken up by Jen O’Connor (Staff profile), who will work directly with the Disability Service, the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion office, and Human Resources to provide an equitable employment experience for all disabled staff in TCD.

We hope all in our community will recognise the momentous importance this role holds for expanding the ethos of inclusion across TCD. We hope that this post will mark the beginning of an exciting journey for the disabled community across TCD’s growing and diverse campus!

Why was this role developed?

The creation of this role represents an important development in strengthening Trinity’s institutional approach to disability inclusion for staff. It reflects our commitments under national equality legislation, the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty, and the University’s broader Access, Belonging and Inclusion agenda.

The role has been established to provide a coordinated, consistent and specialist point of expertise to support staff with disabilities and to assist managers and units across the University in implementing inclusive workplace practices.

The introduction of the Staff DLO role forms part of Trinity’s broader programme of mainstreaming disability provision across institutional systems, ensuring that accessibility and inclusion are embedded within employment processes and workplace environments.

What exactly will the Staff DLO do?

Our primary aim, particularly in these early months of the role’s creation, is to begin to review the best practices for supporting disabled staff members in TCD to ensure that the robust systems and supports we will strive to create work in accordance with both national and international legislation on the employment rights of disabled people. Below are some of the key roles which will help us to achieve this:

• Acting as a central point of contact for staff disability-related queries and supports for disabled staff members of Trinity College Dublin
• Coordinating and conducting workplace needs assessments and reasonable accommodations.
• Guiding managers and teams on disability inclusion and inclusive employment practices
• Supporting the implementation of the Code of Practice Applying to the Employment of People with Disabilities
• Contributing to institutional reporting and continuous improvement in staff disability inclusion
• Working collaboratively with HR, Estates, IT Services and other stakeholders to address accessibility and participation barriers

Where can I get more information?

Further information about the role, including referral pathways and engagement opportunities, will be shared in the coming weeks. In the meantime, colleagues are welcome to contact the disAbility Service with any queries. You can do so by emailing askds@tcd.ie.