A London park worker has been awarded a record £550,000 in damages for disability discrimination, in what is reported to be the largest payout in a disability discrimination case.
An employment tribunal in Croydon found that the man, who suffers learning difficulties, was unfairly sacked from his job by Lambeth Serviceteam Limited, now Veolia Environment Services Lambeth. The record compensation comprises loss of earnings until retirement.
The man, aged 34 at the time he lost his job, was one of 24 members of the GMB union who said they had been unfairly dismissed. The claimants were all gardeners and had tended parks throughout the London Borough of Lambeth, including Clapham Common. In total the group was awarded compensation of over £1.3m.
The claimants were all dismissed following a redundancy exercise. The Tribunal found that the redundancy selection criteria were arbitrary and not consistent with internal policies, that Lambeth Serviceteam had discriminated against four of the claimants on the grounds of their disability, and had further breached its own equal opportunities procedures.
Richard Ascough, GMB regional secretary, said: “GMB is delighted at this substantial victory for our members who have been very shoddily treated by their employer after many years of loyal service. This case will send out a very clear message to employers that GMB will fight against disability discrimination in the workplace.”
