[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Following the widespread publicity concerning the case brought against a leading retailer by a disabled sales assistant for ‘hiding’ her away from public view in a stockroom, companies must carefully assess their own discrimination records.
This particular retailer apparently had its own ‘look policy’, which prevented this young woman from wearing a long-sleeved garment to hide her prosthetic arm. The company’s management unfortunately seem to have taken this internal rule more seriously than the anti-discrimination laws in place to protect people with disabilities from unfair treatment, and decided that she should not work in public view.
However, this is not to say that the company set out to humiliate her – what appeared to them to be a common sense solution, was actually a hurtful and possibly illegal act that has now exposed them to potentially expensive legal action.
In the light of this case many businesses would benefit from an impartial assessment of their own in-house policies. It is possible that some of the most innocent and well-intended rules are in accidental breach of anti-discrimination laws.
If you are in the slightest doubt, rather than remain exposed to legal action, please feel free to call one of our experts at your nearest Gamlins Office to arrange a meeting where you can confidentially discuss your concerns.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
