Library employee wins £7,500 for reasonable adjustments fail

Background

Lidia Kogut, an employee of The British Library, took legal action against her employer, arguing that the noise levels in her workplace prevented her from working effectively.

Despite multiple requests for reasonable adjustments, The British Library failed to provide these. The Tribunal identified that the employer had the option to move Ms Kogut to a quiet office temporarily until a permanent suitable alternative role was identified, yet failed to take any steps to allow her to continue working effectively.

Award from the Employment Tribunal

Ms Kogut was awarded a total of £7,554.00 in compensation. The breakdown of this award is as follows:

• £6,204.00 for injury to feelings; and

• £1,350.00 for a reduction in salary.

What does this mean for you?

Employers and HR professionals have a legal obligation to support employees who require reasonable adjustments. To avoid situations where an employee formally complains about reasonable adjustments not being put in place, employers should strive to take a proactive approach and implement clear policies and procedures.

At Buxton Coates Solicitors, our experienced Employment & HR team are able to support you with implementing the correct policies, and advise you on the proper procedure to follow should someone with a disability require reasonable adjustments. For further information on how we can help you, please contact us on 0330 088 2275 or employment@buxtoncoates.com.