A Workplace Adjustments Passport is a simple written record of agreed adjustments that moves with the employee through manager changes and role changes. Used by the Civil Service, NHS, and major UK employers, it reduces re-negotiation friction and improves retention. This guide explains how to implement one.
Workplace Adjustments Passport: Implementation Guide for Employers
What Is a Workplace Adjustments Passport?
A Workplace Adjustments Passport (also called a "Disability Passport" or "Support Passport") is a voluntary, employee-owned document that records:
The employee's needs in the workplace
The adjustments and support that have been agreed
The date those adjustments were agreed and by whom
Any planned reviews
It is not a medical record and does not require clinical detail. The passport records what adjustments are needed and agreed โ not why.
Why Passports Work
The most common reason reasonable adjustments break down is a change of manager. When a line manager moves on, the new manager may:
Be unaware of existing adjustments
Question whether they are still needed
Inadvertently apply policies that conflict with the adjustments (e.g., rigid attendance management)
A passport solves this by creating a portable, transferable record.
Evidence Base
Business Disability Forum (2023): 78% of disabled employees say re-explaining needs to a new manager is one of their top workplace stressors.
Civil Service: Since implementing passports in 2020, grievances related to adjustments being withdrawn after manager changes dropped by 34%.
NHS People Plan: All NHS trusts are now required to offer Workplace Adjustment Passports to employees with long-term health conditions.
Contact preferences (useful for neurodivergent employees who prefer written communication)
Section 2: My Needs
A plain-language description of workplace needs โ not diagnosis, not medical language. Examples:
"I need written rather than verbal instructions for complex tasks"
"I need to work from home on high-concentration days"
"I need a quiet workspace away from the main office floor"
"I need regular check-ins to manage anxiety around deadlines"
Section 3: Agreed Adjustments
A specific list of what has been agreed, e.g.:
Flexible start time (8:00โ9:30am instead of fixed 9am)
Remote work 3 days/week
Written meeting agendas sent 24 hours in advance
Noise-cancelling headphones (employer-funded)
Section 4: Equipment and Technology
List of any specialist equipment or software in use (important for IT onboarding when the employee changes roles).
Section 5: Agreed Review Date
Adjustments should be reviewed (not removed โ reviewed) at regular intervals. Annually is standard; after a role change, within 6 weeks.
Section 6: Signatures
Employee and manager sign to confirm agreement. This creates accountability without being onerous.
How to Implement a Passport Scheme
Step 1: Design Your Template
Keep it to one page (front and back). Avoid medical jargon. Make it employee-led โ the employee fills it in, the manager countersigns.
Use BDF's free passport template (businessdisabilityforum.org.uk) or the Civil Service passport as a starting point. Adapt language to your organisation.
Step 2: Train Line Managers
A 30-minute briefing covering:
What a passport is (and what it isn't โ it's not a performance management tool)
How to handle a request to complete one
What to do when inheriting a direct report with a passport
Step 3: Communicate to Employees
Frame it positively: "This is your document, and it travels with you." Avoid framing it as a bureaucratic requirement.
Channels: intranet, onboarding materials, disability ERG, line manager briefings.
Step 4: Store It Securely
The passport is a personal document. It should be:
Stored in the employee's HR file (accessible to HR and the employee only โ not in a shared team drive)
Not disclosed to new managers without employee consent (the employee should share it with their new manager themselves)
Step 5: Monitor Take-Up
Track the number of passports in use (anonymised, aggregate). If fewer than 5% of your workforce has one, awareness is the bottleneck; if passports are created but adjustments still break down, manager training needs refreshing.
WORKPLACE ADJUSTMENTS PASSPORT
Employee name: ________________________
Job title: _____________________________
Date completed: _______________________
MY NEEDS (in my own words):
[Employee completes โ plain language, no medical detail required]
AGREED ADJUSTMENTS:
1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
EQUIPMENT / SOFTWARE IN USE:
___________________________________
AGREED REVIEW DATE: _______________
Employee signature: ___________________
Line manager signature: ________________
HR reference: _________________________
Legal Context
A Workplace Adjustments Passport is a good practice tool, not a legal requirement. However, it provides documentary evidence that:
The employer fulfilled its duty to make reasonable adjustments
The employee consented to the adjustments
A review process is in place
This evidence is valuable if a dispute reaches an Employment Tribunal.
Sources: Business Disability Forum Passport Guidance (2023), Civil Service Workplace Adjustment Passport Scheme, NHS People Plan 2020/21, ACAS Reasonable Adjustments at Work Guide