Disabled woman awarded €6,000

A DISABLED woman who claimed colleagues regularly adjusted the height of her special office chair as a practical joke has been awarded €6,000 in compensation.

Karen Bradford, who worked for the Public Appointments Service, also claimed that for five weeks she was the only member of staff on the fifth floor of the Grand Canal Street building where the service was based, before moving to new offices on Abbey Street.

The service denied both claims and the Equality Tribunal, which adjudicated on the case, did not find in Ms Bradford’s favour in either of these respects. However, the tribunal did find the service had “failed to provide Ms Bradford with reasonable accommodation” under employment equality legislation and ordered it to pay her €6,000 by way of compensation for stress.