Equality, diversity and human rights
In Madarassy v Nomura International plc [2007] IRLR 246, the Court of Appeal has held that a "possibility" of discrimination arising only from a difference in gender and a difference in treatment is not, without more, sufficient to support an inference of unlawful discrimination, thereby shifting the burden of proof to the employer.
In Spence v Intype Libra Ltd EAT/0617/06, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that a failure to obtain and consult on a medical report before dismissing an employee does not in itself breach the duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees.
In Azmi v Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council EAT/0009/07, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has dismissed an appeal against an employment tribunal's ruling that an employee who was dismissed for refusing to remove her veil while teaching had not been discriminated against on the grounds of religion or belief.
The High Court has found that the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, as amended, does not give full effect to the revised EC Equal Treatment Directive, in Equal Opportunities Commission v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (12 March 2007).
This article looks at some of the significant judgments in the area of equal pay over the past year and their implications.
In Fowler v London Borough of Waltham Forest EAT/0116/06, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has reiterated that the duty to make reasonable adjustments for the disabled does not normally include giving full pay to an individual during sickness absence.
In Cadman v Health and Safety Executive Case C-1705 ECJ, the European Court of Justice held that it is not necessary for an employer to justify use of length of service as a criterion for determining the pay of workers doing work of equal value unless a worker provides evidence that raises serious doubts as to its appropriateness as a basis for determining pay.
In Taylor v OCS Group Ltd [2006] IRLR 613 CA, the Court of Appeal holds that defects in the conduct of a disciplinary hearing are capable of being "cured" in an internal appeal even if it does not amount to a full rehearing of the issue. In addition, a deaf employee not given the opportunity to have an interpreter at his disciplinary hearing was not treated less favourably for a reason related to his disability.
In NTL Group Ltd v Difolco [2006] EWCA Civ 1508 CA, the Court of Appeal has held that the duty to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled person does not include converting a full-time vacancy to a part-time one before he or she has applied for the job.
In Moyhing v Barts and London NHS Trust EAT/0085/06, the Employment Appeal Tribunal holds that an employer's policy of chaperoning male nurses carrying out intimate procedures on female patients was sex discrimination. The claimant was entitled to feel that the policy subjected him to a detriment.
Employment law cases: HR and legal information and guidance relating to equality, diversity and human rights.