I'm left wondering if the employer should reimburse a person after they've been to their own optician.  For many years, we've run a voucher scheme for DSE eyesight tests which entitle the user to a pair of glasses if prescribed.  Individuals come back from time to time saying "they weren't aware" of the scheme, despite it being stated during induction.  This can lead to huge costs to the company for one individual, should we reimburse.  The regs say the employer must provide an eye & eyesight test on the request of the individual, and that they must provide correct appliances if prescribed for VDU use.

If we find out after the fact, should we reimburse the costs?

Another question we've had lately is from a person who uses contact lenses, who would need correction with glasses when using her computer at work.  As they are under the constant care of their contact lens specialist, they don't want to go to our specified optician (a major highstreet chain).  We would still have a duty to provide under these circumstances.  Any suggestions?

As you already supply vouchers for some employees,  its clear you have informed them of the right to request eye tests, do you have evidence of this?(such as policies, signed checklist on induction, DSE training to name a few), then I would say that the company has done all that is possible and should not be liable for the costs of employees going private.

It made also worth an additional mention in any refresher DSE training if not already done so.

I agree with O'Donnell54548 - it's worth checking, because you only need to pay for glasses that are prescribed exclusively for DSE use - if they are worn for other reasons too then they aren't your liability.

Having said which, we operate a voucher scheme and positively allow people to use their own optician instead, in which case if the optician signs a form that says the examination meets the DSE requirements we refund the employee the lesser of the cost of the eyetest or slightly more than the voucher costs us.  Similarly, we would refund the employee up to what the voucher scheme glasses would have cost us.  Neither sum covers what the employee has paid, in my experience.  Our documentation makes it clear that it won't cover the full cost, and lets the employee go that route if they want.

I absolutely would not refund an employee more because they 'weren't aware'.  It's in induction, it's on the intranet, it's a question on every workstation assessment they complete (so we have a record of them saying they are aware of the company arrangements for free eyetests, or if they answer no to that question, a subsequent record of them being told the arrangements again).

O'Donnell- thank you for the quote, will come in useful.

 I have had this problem previously- no matter how often and how the information was put out about vouchers there would always be some who went their own way and claimed re-imbursement.

We took the line of re-imburse to cost of a DSE sight the test and up to the value of spectacles available through the voucher scheme, provided their Line manager had authorised the attendance at the optician, this would involve an explaination of why this action was taken.

It did weed  out a few people who had been getting new specs on a regular basis at some expense, it seems this was seen as a "legitimate perk" in some quarters. 

And if your company introduces mandatory shop floor eye protection (impact resistant glasses) how do you balance that employees should not pay for PPE but that an impact resistant protection generally with side shields will be at higher cost than a standard NHS prescription?

Always worked on the basis IF company policy dictates (including commiment to DSE Regulations) then the company pays for suitable PPE which does not include designer frames, tints and coatings.

Originally Posted by: Roundtuit

And if your company introduces mandatory shop floor eye protection (impact resistant glasses) how do you balance that employees should not pay for PPE but that an impact resistant protection generally with side shields will be at higher cost than a standard NHS prescription?

Always worked on the basis IF company policy dictates (including commiment to DSE Regulations) then the company pays for suitable PPE which does not include designer frames, tints and coatings.

Happy to be corrected, but I do not believe that the provision of glasses for DSE use is PPE?