A SOLICITOR has warned firms to make sure they comply with new rules governing disability in the workplace.

Employment law expert Paul Booth said companies could be caught out when an extension to the Disability Discrimination Act comes into force in October.

Mr Booth, of Huddersfield law firm Baxter Caulfield, said the new regulations would require all public facilities to be fully accessible to people with disabilities and limited mobility.

He said: "Thousands of businesses across Yorkshire will be affected - and what it may mean for many offices, shops and other public facilities remains a mystery to many."

Employers should check the terms on their leases and consider what permission they would need if they had to make alterations to their premises to comply with the law.

Mr Booth said: "Businesses and employers across Yorkshire need to be aware of how the new laws will affect them.

"If businesses fail to make the correct provision, they must be prepared to pay the consequences - which may take the form of hefty fines."