Remote worker with anxiety wins discrimination case over camera requirement
UK tribunal highlights importance of reasonable adjustments for disabled employees.
1Case summary
A UK employment tribunal ruled that Holiday Extras discriminated against remote worker Laura Tait, who has anxiety, ADHD and autism, by refusing her request to keep her camera off during video training. The company was ordered to pay compensation for failing to make reasonable adjustments for her conditions.
2Employee's requests
Laura Tait requested to allocate 2-3 days per week to text-based work instead of phone/video calls, citing work-induced stress causing repeated absences. She also asked to join video meetings with her camera off, but the company refused to implement these changes permanently.
3Company's defense
Holiday Extras argued that voice calls were core business functions and that adjusting Tait's workload would be unfair to other staff. The company only offered temporary adjustments during phased return periods.
4Critical training day
During a remote training session on August 24, 2023, Tait asked to keep her camera off due to feeling 'super anxious' but was told to start with it on. Unable to cope, she left the session and went on sick leave in October 2023.
5Tribunal's ruling
The tribunal criticized the company for failing to make reasonable adjustments like allowing camera-off participation and increasing text-based shifts. It emphasized these changes would have minimal impact on over 50 other travel consultants.
6Employment law implications
Experts clarify the ruling doesn't outlaw all camera-on policies but confirms the need for individual accommodations for disabled workers. Similar workplace policies face increasing judicial scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic.