EAT DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION – Reasonable adjustments PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Striking-out/dismissal The Employment Judge erred in striking out the Claimant’s claim. The Claimant, a job applicant, was interviewed about a competency different to that which had been (mistakenly) set out in the advertisement for the post. The Employment Judge correctly proceeded on the basis that … Continue reading Noor v Foreign and Commonwealth Office: EAT 14 Feb 2011

The college appealed a finding that the applicant who had been found to be disabled within the Act, but denied discrimination. They appealed the finding of the tribunal which had failed to identify whether the disability was mental or physical. Held: There was sufficient evidence of impairment to constitute disability. The expert evidence was not … Continue reading College of Ripon and York St John v Dr Hobbs: EAT 14 Nov 2001

Citations: [2014] EWCA Civ 734 Links: Bailii Statutes: Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Employment, Discrimination Updated: 05 June 2022; Ref: scu.526421

The court considered whether discriminatory acts after the termination of employment were caught by the respective anti-discrimination Acts. The acts included a failure to give proper references. They pursued claims on the basis of victimisation after their primary discrimination claims. Held: The 1975 and 1976 Acts were similarly phrased and the wording in the 1995 … Continue reading Relaxion Group plc v Rhys-Harper; D’Souza v London Borough of Lambeth; Jones v 3M Healthcare Limited and three other actions: HL 19 Jun 2003

EAT The Appellant is a qualifying body, subject to section 14 of the Disability Discrimination Act. The Tribunal found that it had failed to make a reasonable adjustment in the arrangements it made for sitting an examination. In so doing the Tribunal misdirected itself on certain aspects of law. However, the EAT held that these … Continue reading Project Management Institute v Latif: EAT 10 May 2007

The claimant appealed against rejection of his claim for disability discrimination which had been on the ground that his condition did not amount to a disability within section 1(1). He suffered from anxiety, stress, tension and depression. Held: The claimant’s appeal succeeded. Peter Clark J said: ‘There was no evidence as to the effect on … Continue reading Kapadia v London Borough of Lambeth: EAT 27 May 1999

EAT DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION Disability related discrimination Direct disability discrimination An Employment Tribunal failed to focus on the wording of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in concluding there had been no reasonable adjustment when the employer failed further to extend the benefits of the sick pay scheme to her, when they were already well beyond that … Continue reading The Royal Bank of Scotland v Ashton: EAT 16 Dec 2010

EAT DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION – Disability Employment Tribunal decision pre-dated House of Lords decision in SCA Packaging Ltd v Boyle [2009] IRLR 746, disapproving Employment Appeal Tribunal approach in Latchman [2002] ICR 1453 as to meaning of word ‘likely’ in para. 2(2)(b) of Schedule 1 to Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Appeal allowed on Latchman misdirection and … Continue reading Wigginton v Cowie and Others (T/A Baxter International (A Partnership)): EAT 18 Jun 2010

EAT DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION: Reasonable adjustments The Employment Tribunal erred in law in failing to properly apply s. 18B of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to the evidence and to make the necessary findings of fact about reasonable adjustments: Smiths Detection – Watford Ltd v Berriman (UKEAT/0712/04/CK) and Romec Ltd v Rudham (UKEAT/0069/DA) applies. Judges: Birtles … Continue reading Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Job Centre Plus) and Others v Wilson: EAT 19 Feb 2010

EAT DISABILITY DISCRIMINATIONThe EAT held that there were arguable errors in the ET’s approach to the factual questions raised by sections 5 and 6 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 before their repeal. Judges: Keith J Citations: [2007] UKEAT 0370 – 07 – 3011 Links: Bailii Employment, Discrimination Updated: 14 July 2022; Ref: scu.266652

Judges: Peter Clark HHJ Citations: [2000] EAT 387 – 99 – 2605 Links: Bailii Statutes: Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Employment, Discrimination Updated: 13 July 2022; Ref: scu.265144

EAT Practice and Procedure – 2002 Act and Pre-action Requirements Unfair Dismissal – Constructive Dismissal On 14 October 2004 the Claimant claimed constructive unfair dismissal arising out of four acts of the Respondent. No grievance pursuant to the 2004 Regulations had been presented. The Employment Tribunal allowed the case to proceed at a pre-hearing review … Continue reading Cyprus Airways Ltd v Lambrou: EAT 1 May 2007

EAT The ET dismissed as premature the Claimant”s application for disability discrimination because the application was made less than 28 days after the Claimant”s grievance had been raised in a letter dated 21st April 2005. In fact there was an earlier letter that constituted a written grievance that was before the ET but its significance … Continue reading Pugh v National Assembly for Wales: EAT 26 Sep 2006

The employer appealed against findings of unfair dismissal and disability discrimination. The employee worked in IT. He was profoundly deaf, but could lip read and read sign language. He had been accused of obtaining improper access to a senior staff member’s emails. During the disciplinary hearing, he had been assisted by an interpreter for part … Continue reading Taylor v OCS Group Ltd: CA 31 May 2006

EAT The Employment Tribunal had erred in its construction of direct discrimination under s3A(5) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 as amended when it failed to construct a correct hypothetical comparator for the Claimant who was an HIV+ care worker dismissed because of the risk of transmission to users of the Respondent’s health care facilities. … Continue reading High Quality Lifestyles Ltd v Watts: EAT 10 Apr 2006

Simon Brown LJ said: ‘As will readily be seen, it provides (perhaps rather surprisingly) that someone is to be treated as disabled even though they are not in fact disabled (even, that is, where they suffer no substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities) if, without the medical treatment they … Continue reading D Woodrup v London Borough of Southwark: CA 2003

Appeal against a finding that a claim of disability discrimination was in time. Judges: Charles J Citations: [2001] UKEAT 518 – 00 – 1902, EAT/518/00 Links: Bailii, EAT Statutes: Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Cited by: See Also – Harley v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis EAT 18-Sep-2001 Application for hearing to be postponed. . … Continue reading Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis v Harley: EAT 19 Feb 2001

Can an employer’s failure to make adjustments to accommodate a disabled employee be unreasonable but justified? Held: The justification under 5(2)(b) must be something other than the circumstances which are taken into account for the purpose of section 6(1): ‘The clear purpose of s.5(5) is to deny to an employer who has treated a disabled … Continue reading Collins v Royal National Theatre Board Limited: CA 17 Feb 2004

EAT Disability Discrimination – Less favourable treatment. The appellant brought proceedings against the Respondents alleging that they had failed to make adjustments to her workplace and conditions so as to accommodate her disability, that they had treated her less favourably for reasons relating to her disability; and in the second case presented in 2000 that … Continue reading Meikle v Nottinghamshire County Council: EAT 19 Aug 2003

EAT The claimant had presented claims of sex and disability discrimination and victimisation. She suffered injury to her throat when builders demolished a wall near her workstation. Held: The employer’s appeal was dismissed. ‘There must be many cases in which the disabled person has been placed at a substantial disadvantage in the workplace, but in … Continue reading Mid-Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust v Cambridge: EAT 4 Mar 2003

EAT Unfair Dismissal – OtherThe employer appealed a finding of unfair dismissal and disability discrimination. She suffered an apparently minor injury, but which led to long standing disability with varying diagnoses. The company doctor came to consider it would be a long time before she could return. She was dismissed for capability. Held: There was … Continue reading Gate Gourmet v J B Jangra: EAT 12 Dec 2000

EAT The EAT considered the expression ‘likely to last’ in paragraph 2(1)(b) of the Act, and stated: ‘It is always tempting to accord, and is often appropriate, when it is charged with finding out what at some earlier date the future would then have seem to hold, to have regard to what the future in … Continue reading Latchman v Reed Business Information Ltd: EAT 7 Dec 2001

The claimant challenged refusal of his claim of discrimination. He was profoundly deaf. He applied for work, and indicated his disability, but no provision was made for a signer to appear at the interview. The interview was re-arranged, but he failed. Held: The tribunal gave reasons for finding that the disability had played no part … Continue reading Murphy v Sheffield Hallam University: EAT 11 Jan 2000

Both cases questioned the extent, as a disability, of functional or psychological ‘overlay’, where there may be no medical condition underlying the symptoms which the employee claims to be present. Neither claimant had asserted any psychological disability. The employees appealed a refusal that they be considered to suffer a disability. ‘Impairment’, has to mean some … Continue reading Rugamel v Sony Music Entertainment UK Ltd; McNicol v Balfour Beatty Rail Maintenance Ltd: EAT 28 Aug 2001

EAT Practice and Procedure: Appellate Jurisdiction/Reasons/Burns-Barke Two live issues: (1) The Appellant was not permitted to run a new argument on aiding and abetting under section 57 Disability Discrimination Act 1995. (2) Having heard live evidence I found that the Appellant’s representative (her husband) had not pursued a claim for damages for wrongful dismissal at … Continue reading Marshall v The Learning Trust and Others: EAT 21 Jul 2015

The applicant had soft tissue injuries around the spine as a consequence of a back injury at work. He was absent from work for a long time as a result of his injuries, and he was eventually dismissed when his medical advisers could provide no clear idea of when it would be possible for him … Continue reading Clark v TDG Limited (Trading As Novacold): CA 25 Mar 1999

Unfair Dismissal: Reasonableness of Dismissal – DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION – Reasonable adjustments Unfair Dismissal – fairness of the decision to dismiss In circumstances where the advice available to the employer had materially changed between the taking of the decision to dismiss and the dismissal itself, a question arose as to whether this impacted upon the fairness … Continue reading Fox v British Airways Plc (Unfair Dismissal: Reasonableness of Dismissal): EAT 22 Apr 2015

Proving Discrimination – Two Stage Process Each appeal raised procedural issues in discrimination cases, asking where, under the new regulations, the burden of proof had shifted. Held: The new situation required a two stage process before a complaint could be upheld. First the claimant had to establish facts allowing the tribunal to conclude, in the … Continue reading Igen Ltd v Wong: CA 18 Feb 2005

EAT PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Review Claim under Disability Discrimination Act 1995 dismissed at PHR because Claimant not available to give evidence as to long-term effect of injury – Judge willing to offer adjournment if absence of Claimant had been explained and adjournment applied for – Counsel tells Judge that he does not know reason … Continue reading Council of The City of Newcastle Upon Tyne v Marsden (Rev 1): EAT 23 Jan 2010

The employee had become diabetic. Upon his coming to require insulin, the employer undertook a new risk assessment, and restricted his duties as a driver. He claimed disability discrimination. At the tribunal, both employer and employee brought medical evidence. Held: The employer’s duties under the Act had to be seen in the context of the … Continue reading Post Office v Jones: CA 5 Jun 2001

EAT DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION – DisabilityJob offer to Claimant withdrawn allegedly as a result of her disclosing a history of depression – On a preliminary issue Tribunal holds that at the material time (June 2008) Claimant not suffering from ‘clinical depression’ amounting to a disability within the meaning of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.Appeal allowed, and … Continue reading J v DLA Piper UK Llp: EAT 15 Jun 2010

The claimant was a teacher who had come to suffer a sight disability. She complained that her employers had failed to make reasonable accomodation for her disability, and subsequently she resigned claiming constructive dismissal and damages for discrimination. The employer contended that she had not been dismissed within the section. Held: There had been conflicting … Continue reading Nottinghamshire County Council v Meikle: CA 8 Jul 2004

The parties had agreed to compromise the appeal on the basis that a new trial would be ordered. The EAT had to consider whether the settlement was appropriate.
Held: The employers had not accepted during his employment that he was disabled . .

The employee appealed against the dismissal of his claim for disability discrimination.
Held: The appeal succeeded. A comparator for the treatment of a disabled person who was away from work sick, was the treatment of a non-disabled person who . .

. .