Payout to Aspie who underwent employment abuse

[Geordie]

THE DEPARTMENT for Work and 
Pensions has been ordered to pay another ?17,500 to a Dundee employee who suffers from Asperger?s syndrome and who they treated ?extremely badly?.

The latest cash award, for not complying 
with a re-employment ruling, brings the total sum to be paid by the DWP to the woman in the long-running case to more than ?70,000.

An employment tribunal in Dundee has issued a judgment in the re-engagement compensation proceedings raised by the woman. They had previously ordered the DWP to pay her just under ?54,000 as 
compensation for constructive unfair 
dismissal and disability discrimination.

They also told them to re-engage her in a post appropriate to her skills and on the same pay she received in her previous post.

They were further told of their duty to make reasonable adjustments for her return to work in terms of the Equality Act.

Asperger?s syndrome is a form of autism, a lifelong disability of which the sufferer shows no outward signs. People with the condition have difficulties in social communication, social interaction and social imagination.

At a hearing earlier this month, the 
tribunal was told the woman was asked to return to work in November 2011 but found she was psychologically unable to go through the door.

Trust and confidence had been ?irreparably damaged? and the claimant?s anxiety level was too much for her to overcome. With the benefit of hindsight she believed there was nothing that the DWP could have done after her departure that would have allowed her to return to work.

In accepting medical evidence that re-engagement was too late, the tribunal chaired by judge Ian McFatridge said the respondents ?had treated the claimant extremely badly?.

The tribunal accepted the DWP?s contention that the level of re-engagement compensation should not be regarded 
as a penalty for the way she was treated.

The judgment continued: ?We required to take into account the fact that the claimant 
is psychologically unable to return to work with the respondents and that this is something which has been brought on by the respondents? treatment of her.?

The tribunal had previously found that the woman had been subjected to harassment by the DWP due to her disability.

A DWP spokesperson said: ?We acknowledge the tribunal?s findings. We employ disabled people right across the country and work hard to ensure we meet our commitments to good practice in employing and retaining disabled people.?

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Payout to autism sufferer - Dundee / Local / News / The Courier

 

[King_Oni]

This just gave me an idea, lol... on might I go into at a later point perhaps.

It also gave me some hope on how such a department will get reprimanded if they are ignorant. I wouldn't request a red carpet, but the very least would be that my "issues" would be considered in a professional way.