A disabled House of Commons manager who was threatened with disciplinary action when she asked staff to stop using her specially adapted workspace has won a tribunal claim.
The Mail Online reported that Alison Baker had a modified work station to help her manage neck and back problems after living with musculoskeletal pain for more than 10 years.
Due to overcrowding in the office, bosses allowed other staff to use it while she was away for short periods between June and September 2018.
An employment tribunal heard how the chair had to be re-adjusted after each time it was used by someone else.
When Alison left a note asking staff not to use the chair in her absence, her management started disciplinary proceedings against her for what they saw as an “unreasonable” request.
According to the Mail the hearing was told Alison started working for the House of Commons Commission in 1991. She began experiencing musculoskeletal symptoms in 2005 and specialist equipment, including an orthopaedic swivel chair, was recommended.
In June 2018 Alison was off sick for more than a month after she fell in the street and injured her knee. When she returned to work her equipment had been “drastically altered or moved”.
The tribunal heard Alison raised the matter with bosses and was told her desk will have been used by people hot-desking. She told the tribunal she found it difficult to adjust her equipment to again make it suitable to her needs.
Alison also disputed the need for hot desking and a subsequent occupational health report recommended she should have her own dedicated workstation. Alison also placed a “polite notice” on her desk asking for it not to be used when she was away.
But on another occasion having returned to work after a medical appointment she found her notice had been ignored and her orthopaedic chair altered again. She was also invited to a disciplinary hearing which included the allegation she had unreasonably placed a note on her desk to warn colleagues against using it.
The Mail reported that the tribunal heard the allegation was later removed in a revised invitation, but Alison went on sick leave soon afterwards, citing workplace stress, and brought her tribunal claims in January 2019.
An Employment Judge ruled Alison had been treated unfavourably after bosses took disciplinary action against her for leaving the note asking colleagues not to use her desk.
The Judge said Alison’s polite note “was clearly something arising in consequence of her disability.”
The Mail reported that a further hearing will be held in due course to decide upon compensation.
