Harassment and disability discrimination

In this episode of the podcast I summarise the facts and law concerning a case involving a trainee teacher who was suspended due to the fact that he could not write for more than a couple of minutes. The employee, who had been diagnosed with dyspraxia, claimed disability discrimination, harassment and constructive unfair dismissal.  

In this episode I will cover:

• Section 26 of the Equality Act 2010 which covers the law regarding harassment.
• A breakdown of the considerations that will be made by the Employment Tribunal when assessing harassment.
• The conclusion of the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal in this case.
• Assurance for employers that you can have difficult conversations with employees who are not capable of undertaking the job as a result of a disability.
• Why obtaining an occupational health report is essential at an early stage.
• Why making a decision in respect of the adverse effects of a disability does not constitute direct discrimination.

Action Points

1. if you have concerns about an employees fitness for work then seek medical advice as soon as possible.
2. If an employee has a disability then you will need to make adjustments and consider what can be done to assist them.
3. Understand the any decision making with regards to disabled employees carries a risk, regardless of their length of service.
4. Seek legal advice before making any decisions.

Useful Links

Ahmed v The Cardinal Hume Academies - Employment Appeal Tribunal

Please do leave any comments, ideas and best practice below. Please ensure that any comments are respectful to all views and opinions.

As part of our HR Harbour annual subscription service for employers we provide guidance and training for employers, supervisors and managers. If you would like to know more about the HR Harbour Service and how you can get unlimited support from as little as £180 per month please contact me for a no obligation discussion - alison@realemploymentlawadvice.co.uk or you can find full details here: HR Harbour

In this episode of the podcast I give an overview of and my thoughts on implementing flexible working arrangements in your business. Whether for individual employees or as a wholesale change to the way you work, could this be the future for your business? 

In this episode I will cover:

• Examples of businesses who have already made changes for more employee flexibility.
• Different types of arrangements that you could consider.
• An overview of the legal right to request flexible working.
• The advantages of being open minded about flexible working.
• The disadvantages and potential issues that could arise.

Action Points

1. Consider surveying employees or creating a poll to find out if flexible working would be of interest to staff.
2. Think about the types of arrangements that may work for your business.
3. Consider trialing the changes first.
4. Seek advice if you are unsure what to do and how to implement.
5. Don't forget to take advantage of the publicity and promotion that could come with making changes to your business. If you are the first in your industry or you are trying something radical why not create a press release about it.

Useful Links

The right to request flexible working - The legal position - Episode 1 of the podcast

Article about the legal firm who have switched to a 4 day week

As part of our HR Harbour annual subscription service for employers we provide guidance and training for employers, supervisors and managers. If you would like to know more about the HR Harbour Service and how you can get unlimited support from as little as £180 per month please contact me for a no obligation discussion - alison@realemploymentlawadvice.co.uk or you can find full details here: HR Harbour