Wales Online report that a shop worker with Type 1 diabetes who was dismissed for self-isolating at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, after the Government advised vulnerable groups to stay at home, has been awarded £7,161 by a tribunal. Mrs Reid told her manager, Ms Bennett, that she would be required to self-isolate and that she was concerned this may have to be for up to 12 weeks. After consulting with her GP, Reid spoke to Ms Bennett again on March 20 stating that she had been advised to isolate for 14 days because her condition made her more vulnerable to the virus. On March 31, Reid contacted Bennett again, and offered to return to work immediately and that she would only be limited by the restrictions which impacted others in the community. However, Bennett reacted negatively and rejected the offer saying she had no other choice but to dismiss Reid. Bennet took the view that Reid had “abandoned her job without notice, without regard to the other employees or to the business”. The ET found that the employer did not understand the law and appeared to consider itself to be the victim. Given all the circumstances, Reid had been unfairly dismissed and had suffered unlawful deductions from her pay.
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