Sacked baggage handler gets €125,000

A FORMER baggage handler with a heart condition has been awarded €125,000 after the Equality Tribunal ruled he had been fired and had suffered discriminatory treatment because of a physical disability.

Aviance — a British firm which provides baggage- handling services at Dublin Airport — was ordered to pay the compensation after it refused to allow the employee to return to work after an injury because of a separate health matter.

Mr Kavanagh, who worked as a ramp supervisor, sustained an elbow injury at work in January 2004 and was out on sick leave for about a month when he was asked to attend the company doctor.