HIV Reasonable Adjustments Guide

Create an Inclusive Workplace for Applicants and Employees with HIV

Supporting someone living with HIV during recruitment or at work can involve a wide range of considerations, and knowing what reasonable adjustments may help is not always straightforward.

This practical HIV Reasonable Adjustments Guide helps employees, employers, managers and HR professionals better understand how HIV and its treatment may affect someone at work and the workplace barriers they may experience, with practical examples of adjustments and support that can be considered around the individual’s needs.

Whether you are preparing for a conversation about reasonable adjustments, recruiting someone living with HIV, supporting an employee at work or helping them return following a period of absence, the guide provides a useful starting point without having to research everything from scratch.

Understanding HIV at Work

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) affects the body’s immune system. Effective treatment can control the virus and enable people living with HIV to live long and healthy lives, although individual experiences, treatment needs and the impact on work can vary.

The guide provides an overview of HIV alongside examples of common symptoms, potential workplace barriers and tailored support. It considers areas such as treatment and medical appointments, working arrangements, fatigue, privacy, workplace awareness and the support someone may need at work.

This provides useful context for understanding how HIV may affect someone at work before considering what reasonable adjustments could be appropriate for the individual.

Reasonable Adjustments Throughout Employment

The guide considers reasonable adjustments at three important stages, recognising that the support someone needs may vary depending on their circumstances.

During recruitment
Practical considerations include creating a supportive recruitment process, considering interview or assessment arrangements, providing appropriate flexibility and discussing any individual support that may help the applicant participate fully while respecting their privacy.

At work
The guide explores areas such as flexible working arrangements, time for treatment or medical appointments, task modification, appropriate breaks, supportive supervision, privacy and confidentiality, workplace awareness and ongoing review of the support provided.

Returning from absence
Considerations include a phased or adaptable return to work, reviewing working hours and tasks, maintaining appropriate support and reviewing arrangements as the individual settles back into their role or their needs change.

Supporting the Individual, Not Just the Condition

No two people will experience HIV in exactly the same way. Someone’s health, treatment, circumstances and experience of workplace barriers can vary considerably, as can the adjustments and support that may help them.

The guide encourages an individual approach by helping you:

• Consider the person’s role, circumstances and specific workplace barriers
• Explore adjustments and support that could help address their individual needs and workplace barriers
• Use the suggestions as a starting point for conversations rather than a fixed checklist
• Review support as circumstances or needs change
• Record relevant points and considerations using the included editable notes page

The notes page includes separate areas for during recruitment, at work and return from absence, helping you keep useful information organised for future reference.

The rest of the guide is provided as practical reference information and can be viewed on a computer or mobile device or printed for easy reference.

How the Guide Is Structured

The guide takes you from understanding HIV and potential workplace barriers through to considering practical reasonable adjustments during recruitment, at work and when returning from absence, with an editable notes page for recording key points.

• Condition description
• Common symptoms, workplace barriers and tailored support
• Did You Know? fact page
• Reasonable adjustments during recruitment
• Reasonable adjustments at work
• Reasonable adjustments when returning from absence
• Editable notes page

Need Broader Reasonable Adjustments Support?

Our Reasonable Adjustments Bundles bring together practical resources to help you support a wider range of individual needs and put a more consistent approach to reasonable adjustments in place across your workplace.