The employment department at Geldards Law Firm has teamed up with NeuroUniverse in order to provide businesses with practical and legally compliant solutions that will help them better support their neurodivergent workers and reduce disability discrimination.
The neurodiversity training specialist NeuroUniverse and Geldards will collaborate to ensure that their advice and training reflects the best practices as well as the latest employment laws developments.
This partnership is timely as Ministry of Justice statistics indicate a dramatic increase in employment tribunals relating to neurodiversity.
In 2024, the tribunals heard 102 claims where neurodiversity had been cited as an alleged factor in discrimination. This is a 46% rise compared to 2020. The number of disability discrimination complaints referred to Acas rose by 30% between the years 2023 and 2024.
Lowri Philips, partner of Geldards, stated that she has seen an increase in the number of clients who have sought advice about managing neurodivergent workers, especially regarding grievances related to a lack reasonable adjustments.
She said that many organisations lack confidence and knowledge, causing issues to be ignored until formal disputes arise. There is a need to increase awareness and provide employers with the tools they need to support employees early before conflict arises.
Hayley Harding is the director of NeuroUniverse. She added that “awareness of neurodiversity” has improved in recent years. This has led to an increase in employees who disclose diagnoses and understand their legal rights.
Employers must be able have an open and informed conversation about workplace adjustments and support. Our training empowers companies to remove barriers and create an inclusive workplace.
Geldards has offices in London and Cardiff, as well as the East Midlands. The firm said that several factors have contributed to the increase in disability discrimination cases linked to neurodiversity. Autism diagnoses have increased by 787 percent between 1998 and 2018. This is partly due to a better understanding of neurodiversity in women and ethnic minority groups, as well as improved NHS pathways for adult patients.
Especially younger employees are more likely to disclose their neurodivergence, and ask for reasonable adjustments.
Harding, an autistic writer and journalist with ADHD and dyslexia, founded NeuroUniverse. Hewitson is also a former Google-trained lawyer. They were inspired to start the company by their first-hand experience of being neurodivergent at work. The company specializes in neurodiversity education for senior managers, event speakers, and business leaders.
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