A tribunal has awarded an advice worker £18,886 in compensation for associative disability discrimination following her dismissal because of reasons relating to her disabled daughter. The Belfast Telegraph report that Ms McKeith (M) has a disabled daughter and she is responsible for her care. A friend looked after her daughter while she worked for four mornings a week totalling 16 hours. She had been sent home from work for two extended periods during the months before she was dismissed, even though she had not asked for leave. The tribunal considered that, in her managers’ minds, M’s position was not properly in the workplace because she had a disabled daughter, who should be ‘her priority’. The tribunal found that the dismissal was associative direct discrimination because M was the primary carer for her disabled daughter. The Court of Appeal agreed. The tribunal then awarded M £10,000 for injury to feelings, £6,760 for loss of earnings, and £2,126 in interest.

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