Disabled Persons
§ With the repeal of the largely ineffective provisions of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Acts 1944 and 1958, legislation relating to the employment of (and discrimination against) disabled persons is now to be found in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which came into force on 2 December 1996. Employers no longer need employ a quota or percentage of registered disabled persons; nor need they reserve 'designated employments' to be filled only by such persons. Note Under the Disability Rights Commission Act 1999, the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) has powers akin to those enjoyed by the EOC and CRE (including the right to issue non-discrimination notices, to prepare and issue codes of practice, and to advise and represent complainants in court and tribunal proceedings. § For the time being at least, the 1995 Act does not apply to firms or businesses that have fewer than 15 people on the payroll ( ibid. section 7(1), as amended).