A magistrates court’s administration officer has been awarded more than £27,000 after succeeding in her disability discrimination employment tribunal claim against the secretary of state for justice.

Employment tribunal

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An employment tribunal found Hulya Findik’s claims of discrimination arising in consequence of disability and failure in the duty to make reasonable adjustments well-founded.

Findik had worked as an administration officer based at Highbury Magistrates Court from February 1998. She was assaulted in 2006 and in 2010 had an operation to remove a slipped disc in her neck.

An occupational health report found Findik’s neck pain could be managed and controlled with appropriate intervention and treatment and she was fit to continue doing her full duties and normal hours with some reasonable adjustments.

Employment Judge Bedeau found the delay in providing an ergonomic keyboard was ‘longer than reasonably necessary’ and a ‘tilted document holder would have prevented the claimant from having to bend her head down aggravating her neck’.

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He added that a separate screen should have been provided to Findik and ‘delay in providing these auxiliary aids meant that her symptoms continued for longer than was reasonable.

In a remedy judgment, the secretary of state for justice was ordered to pay Findik a total of £27,508.27 which includes £21,000 for injury to feelings and £8,508.27 in interest.

 

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