NEWS & EVENTS

Businesses in the region have been warned to take note of their obligations with regard to employee's disabilities after a firm was fined over £21,000 at an employment Tribunal.

The case concerned an employee who notified her employers that she suffered from migraines, which were triggered by fluorescent lighting.  Her employers said that they would change the bulbs to 'daylight' tubes, but the employee said this would not work, and even produced medical evidence to back up her position and suggestions on how her workplace could be adapted.  The firm refused to do anything else.

The employee resigned and brought successful claims of disability discrimination, failure to make reasonable adjustments, victimisation and unfair dismissal.  She was awarded over £21,000 by the Tribunal which her ex-employers now have to pay.

Speaking about the case and its implications, John Cameron, employment solicitor at Roythornes said:

"The case clearly shows that companies cannot ignore employee concerns relating to their disabilities – particularly where they are backed up by medical evidence.  It is estimated that to make the amendments to the workplace requested by the employee would have cost just £20.  The employer has ended up being asked to pay over a thousand times that amount so it's a very expensive mistake to make."