The Disabled Workers Co-operative is a unique registered charity founded in 2002 to raise the independence of disabled people by enabling them to take an active role in the economy, thereby reducing poverty amongst disabled people; giving the disabled a greater sense of self-worth and raising awareness of the contribution that disabled people can make to society.

If you have a question about your own disability and employment please feel free to ask the question of our group members on the Disabled Workers FaceBook Group as we are unable to answer individual questions about disability and employment.

1. FAQ about the Disabled Workers Co-operative
2. FAQ about the Disabled Workers Database
3. FAQ about the eJobs Portal
4. FAQ about Disability and employment

FAQ about the Disabled Workers Co-operative

• Can the Disabled Workers Co-op help find me a Job?
• Is there a telephone contact Number?
• Can you advice on homeworking?
• Can We Exchange Links?
• How can I support the Disabled Workers Co-operative?
• How is Disabled Workers Co-operative Funded?
• Do you have any literature available?
• Password login Problems

Can the Disabled Workers Co-op help find me a Job?
We are unable to give individual employment advice, as we are unable to answer questions about opportunities in your area. If you are looking for employment advice the best person to speak to is your local Disabled Employment Advisor (DEA) at your local jobcentre who should be able to advise you on opportunities in your area.

If you are looking for employment please feel free to use our eJobs Potral to find employment aimed at disabled jobseekers.

If you have a service you wish to promote on a self-employed basis you can add this FREE to the Disabled Workers Database

Please do not send us CV'S your or request we employ you. There are NO paid positions at the Disabled Workers Co-operative and requests for employment will no longer receive a reply.

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Is there a telephone contact number?
We don't offer a telephone support number as we do not have a permant office. We are an Internet based project and the work that we do can be done anywhere there is an Internet connection. The best way to contact us is via our Contact Form.

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Can you advice on homeworking?
Homeworking is a valid option for many disabled people, giving them the flexabiility of being able to work the hours that suit them. However, the Disabled Workers Co-operative is unable to offer individual advice on any particular homeworking opportunities.

It is our opinion that good homeworking opportuities will not ask for any money to be paid up front, for example for samples, stock, kits, promotion packs etc. and that commission or other payment is made at least monthly. We only accept homeworking opportunities on the Disabled Workers eJobs Portal where advertisers are able to make this assurance.

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Can We Exchange Links?
You can add your link to our Website Directory, FREE in return for a link on your website, by visiting it, navigating to the appropriate category and clicking on 'Add Link'. It is best if you do this yourself as that way you can make sure the details are correct. If you want free listing in our directory it is best to have our link in place on your website before submitting otherwise your link will place your listing into pending.

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How can I support the Disabled Workers Co-operative?
There are several ways in which you can support the work we do in helping disabled people find work and employment. Please visit out Support Us page for more details

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How is the Disabled Workers Co-operative Funded?
The Disabled Workers Co-operative is a registered Charity and does not receive any Government, European, Lottery or central funding, being entirely dependent on the generosity of private donors to offer our services free to disabled workers throughout the country.

Donations can be made Online Here.

or for other methods of donating please visit our support us page

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Do you have any literature available?
We have posters and information on our Downloadsd Page
These require Adobe Acrobat reader, if you don't already have this free software you will also find a link to it on the same page. If you just want a description or just some information to pass on, then the following sums up what our aims are.

Disabled Workers Co-operative Promotes the skills and services offered by local disabled workers on a searchable database. Any disabled individual, sheltered workshop, company or organisation employing a significant number of disabled people are able to register FREE on this database. It is also FREE to use. Local disabled people fulfilling local needs.

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FAQ about the Disabled Workers Database

• What is the Disabled Workers Database?
• How do I Register on the Disabled Workers Database?
• Password / login Problems
• Do I need to 'Registed' Disabled to register on the Disabled Workers Database?
• Do I have to become a Member to register?
• Can I register on behalf of someone else?
• What disabilities can register?
• Should I register on the database now?
• Can we register as an organisation?
• How do I change my details on the Database?

What is the Disabled Workers Database:
The Database was set up to promote the skills and services offered by local disabled workers on a searchable database. Any disabled individual, sheltered workshop, company or organisation employing a significant number of disabled people are able to register FREE on this database. It is also FREE to use. Local disabled people fulfilling local needs.

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How do I Register on the Disabled Workers Database
If you have a disability and have a serve or product you would like to promote FREE you can add your details to the Disabled Workers Database. This is quite simple and can be done here. Database Registration.

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Password Login Problems
Each of the login areas is different and requires a different approach.

Disabled Workers Database Password Login Problems:
Please use the contact form stating you require a password for the Disabled Workers Database and provide: Your Trade Name; your telephone number; and your postcode. This is not an automated reply, so there maybe a delay before you receive your password reminder. You can change your password once you have logged in. Disabled Workers Database Login

To Register on the Disabled Workers Database visit here: Disabled Workers Database Registration

EJobs Portal Password Login For Employers

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Do I need to 'Registed' Disabled to register on the Disabled Workers Database?
No you don’t need to be ‘registered’ disabled. All that we ask is that you could, if asked, produce some kind of ‘independent’ evidence of disability. This evidence could include things like; being in receipt of DLA; a doctors letter; social services report; Blue divers badge; consultants report or any other ‘independent’ form of evidence. Notice we are not asking you to produce this evidence, only to declare that you could produce it if asked.

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Do I have to become a Member to register on the Disabled Workers Database?
You do not have to be a member of the Disabled Workers Co-operative to register on the Disabled Workers Database or eJobs Portal. Registration on the Database is FREE, the only requirement is that you have a disability, or are an organisation employing a significant number of disabled people in meaningful employment.

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Can I register on behalf of someone else?
If you are a representative for a disabled individual, and this individual has given their consent, then you can complete the database 'Registration Form' on their behalf.

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What disabilities can register?
The Disabled Workers Co-operative recognises that there is a broad spectrum of disability. We don’t have a definition on what constitutes a disability. Therefore people with ALL kinds of disability are free to register, all we ask is that you make a declaration declaring that you have a disability and have some kind of ‘independent’ evidence to support this, which you could produce if required to do so. Evidence could include things like DLA, Driver Badge, Doctors Letter, Social Services Assessment, Consultants Report etc.

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Should I register on the database now?
As the Disabled Workers Co-operative builds the numbers of disabled workers who have registered their skills, products or services on the database we will become more widly known to a wider audience so that they can find a disabled worker to fulfil their needs. Those disabled workers who register now will always be at the top of the list in any search result, so that as we become better known they will always be listed first.

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How do I change my details on the Database?
It is up to you to keep your details up-to-date particularly if your contact details change or you cease trading. This is quite simple and can be done here. Database Update.

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Can we register as an organisation?
If your organisation (Charity or Company) employs a significant number disabled people in meaningful paid employment* than you can register your company on the Disabled Workers Database. If you are a sheltered workshop or other group and your individual members can offer individual services then they can register separately as well. To register your organisation on the Disabled Workers Database please visit here: Database Registration.

*We don't have a fixed definition of "a significant number of disabled people in meaningful paid employment" We would hope the number to be at least 1 in 5, but obviously if the disabled workers are the company owners, managers or in exceptional positions then we would except a lower percentage.

If your organisation does not employ disabled people in paid employment, but you would still like to be listed on the Disabled Workers Co-operative website, then register in an appropriate category (Except Disabled Workers) on our Website Directory.

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FAQ about the Disabked Workers eJobs Portal

• What is the Disabled Workers eJobs Portal?
• Can the Disabled Workers Co-op help find me a Job?
• Password / login Problems
• Problems Posting Job Vacancies

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What is the Disabled Workers eJobs Portal?
The Disabled Workers e-Jobs Portal gives employers the opportunity to actively encourage more disabled applicants by promoting their vacancies FREE directly to disabled jobseekers. The e-Jobs Portal gives disabled Job Seekers a way of entering the job market by searching and apply for jobs on-line in the confidence that their applications will be taken seriously.

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Password / login Problem for employers
EJobs Portal Password Login Problems: Only Employers require a password to post job opportunities. You would have had an Email when you first registered telling you your login details. If you no longer have this please use the contact form to request this information again.

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Problems Posting Job Vacancies
If you are getting an error when posting vancancies then the most likely cause is one of the following

1. “HTTP 500 - Internal server error” From Post a new job page After you click on the Submit Add

Check that you haven’t entered any type other than a numeric number in the ‘# OF OPENINGS’ field. For example 2 not ‘two vacancies’

2. Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers error '80040e21' Multiple-step OLE DB operation generated errors.

Check each OLE DB status value, if available. No work was done. /careers/employers/newListing.asp, line 104 After you click on the Submit Add You have entered too much into ‘Salary £’. use your browsers back button, delete some of the text and try again.

3. “An error has occurred during record update! There are no fields to update ... If the file upload field is the only field on your form, you should make it required. Please correct and try again” From page following Post a new job after clicking on ‘Upload Image Now’

You have clicked on the Upload Image Now button without adding an image to upload. To select an image use the ‘Browse’ Button otherwise click on ‘Skip and upload latter >>’

We have provided a help sheet from the employers login page that might assist you posting your vacancies. Employers Help Sheet Download

If you continue to have problems please contact us with details of the error message* you are getting. Online Support

*To get the true error message you will need to tun off friendly HTTP error messages by selecting from your Internet explorer task bar: 'Tools' then 'Internet Options' then click on the 'Advanced' tab. Then unselect 'show friendly HTTP error messages'.

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Can the Disabled Workers Co-op help find me a Job?
We are unable to give individual employment advice, as we are unable to answer questions about opportunities in your area. If you are looking for employment advice the best person to speak to is your local Disabled Employment Advisor (DEA) at your local jobcentre who should be able to advise you on opportunities in your area.

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General FAQ about Disability and employment

• Registering as Disabled
• I a question about my disability or employment

Registering as Disabled
Since the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) there is no longer such a thing as being ‘Registered Disabled’, although some local authorities to do still carry a register to help them assess who needs their services, there is no legal obligation to do so. You my also be able to get a certificate if you are visually or severally visually impaired from your consultant.

However, many disabled individuals feel that they need some sort of evidence they can provide in order to protect themselves such as in employment related issues. Being in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) with the Mobility component (replaces Disability Living Allowance (DLA)) could very well provide the protection that some disabled people feel they need as well as providing an extra income.

PIP is a tax-free benefit that can be claimed by individuals, whether they are working or not, who need help with personal care or have difficulties walking because they are physically or mentally disabled. Medical examination are not normally required a when a claim for PIP is made although you may be required to attend an interview.

PIP has two 'component' parts a ‘daily living component’ (if you need help looking after yourself) and a ‘mobility component’ (if you can't walk or need help getting around) Individuals maybe entitled to receive just one or both components. Receiving PIP might increase the amount of other benefits individuals are entitled to, such as Income Support, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit and is ignored as income for working out income-related benefits and credits.

If you are aged 16 – 64 can find out more about claiming PIP by visiting :https://www.gov.uk/pip

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I have a question about my disability or employment
The best place to answer questions about your disability or employment is on the Disabled Workers Facebook Group. This ia a closed Facebook Group so that only group members will be able to see and reply to your question.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/DisabledWorkers/

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Registered Charity No. 1112402