Attridge Law (A Firm of Solicitors) v Coleman and Law: EAT 20 Dec 2006

The claimant asserted associative disability discrimination. She was the carer for her disabled son.
Held: To succeed the claimant would have to show that associative discrimination was prohibited by the directive and that the 1995 Act could be read consistently with such an obligation. The EAT had power itself to refer a question to the ECJ, and the Employment Tribunal had been correct so to do even on facts assumed and not yet established. The European Court would interpret the directive, not the national law.
Judge Peter Clark
[2006] UKEAT 0417 – 06 – 2012, Times 12-Jan-2007, UKEAT/0417/06
Bailii, EAT
Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Equal Treatment Framework Directive (2000/78/EC)
England and Wales
Citing:
CitedBulmer (HP) Ltd v Bollinger SA CA 1974
The plaintiff complained that the respondent had described its drink ‘Babycham’ as a champagne perry, which it said was a misuse of the appellation ‘champagne’.
Held: The court considered the effect of European legislation on the law of . .
CitedWebb v EMO Air Cargo (UK) Ltd (No 2) HL 20-Oct-1995
The applicant complained that she was dismissed when her employers learned that she was pregnant.
Held: 1(1) (a) and 5(3) of the 1975 Act were to be interpreted as meaning that where a woman had been engaged for an indefinite period, the fact . .
CitedWebb v EMO Air Cargo (UK) Ltd (No 1) HL 3-Mar-1993
Questions on pregnancy dismissals included unavailability at required time. The correct comparison under the Act of 1975 was between the pregnant woman and: ‘a hypothetical man who would also be unavailable at the critical time. The relevant . .
CitedDuke v GEC Reliance Systems Limited HL 2-Jan-1988
The court was asked about the differential in retirement ages between men and women in private sector employment, and whether it constituted sex discrimination.
Held: Section 2(4) of the 1972 Act did not allow a British Court to distort the . .
CitedGhaidan v Godin-Mendoza HL 21-Jun-2004
Same Sex Partner Entitled to tenancy Succession
The protected tenant had died. His same-sex partner sought a statutory inheritance of the tenancy.
Held: His appeal succeeded. The Fitzpatrick case referred to the position before the 1998 Act: ‘Discriminatory law undermines the rule of law . .
CitedPfeiffer v Deutsches Rotes Kreuz, Kreisverband Waldshut eV (1) ECJ 5-Oct-2004
pfeiffer_deutchesrotesreuzECJ102004
ECJ Reference for a preliminary ruling: Arbeitsgericht Lorrach – Germany. Social policy – Protection of the health and safety of workers – Directive 93/104/EC – Scope – Emergency workers in attendance in . .
CitedLitster and Others v Forth Dry Dock and Engineering Co Ltd HL 16-Mar-1989
The twelve applicants had been unfairly dismissed by the transferor immediately before the transfer, and for a reason connected with the transfer under section 8(1). The question was whether the liability for unfair dismissal compensation . .
CitedThetford Corporation And Others v Fiamma Spa And Others ECJ 30-Jun-1988
The court considered a reference to the European Court on assumed facts where the domestic court had not yet established those facts.
Europa In the present state of Community law, characterized by the . .

Cited by:
Reference fromS Coleman v Attridge Law, Steve Law ECJ 31-Jan-2008
ECJ (Opinion) The claimant accepted voluntary redundancy, but then alleged disability discrimination and constructive dismissal. She claimed to have been subjected to unfair treatment because she had a disabled . .
At EATS. Coleman v Attridge Law, Steve Law ECJ 17-Jul-2008
ECJ Social policy – Directive 2000/78/EC – Equal treatment in employment and occupation – Articles 1, 2(1), (2)(a) and (3) and 3(1)(c) – Direct discrimination on grounds of disability – Harassment related to . .
See AlsoColeman v Attridge Law, Law ECJ 17-Jul-2008
ECJ Grand Chamber – Social policy – Directive 2000/78/EC – Equal treatment in employment and occupation – Articles 1, 2(1), (2)(a) and (3) and 3(1)(c) – Direct discrimination on grounds of disability – Harassment . .
See AlsoEBR Attridge Law Llp and Another v Coleman EAT 30-Oct-2009
EAT DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION – ‘Associative’ discrimination
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 can be interpreted so as to apply to ‘associative’ discrimination as required by the decision of the . .

Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Updated: 06 September 2021; Ref: scu.247858