The Labour Court increased a worker’s compensation to €12,000 after finding that disability influenced a technology company’s decision not to hire him. The determination was signed on 11 September 2007. The award includes €4,000 previously granted after the company failed to provide a suitable format for a written test.
The worker appealed the Equality Officer’s finding that the refusal to hire him was not discriminatory; the company did not appeal the finding about the test. He said he could not read from paper and asked to take the test electronically. The company said the interview panel considered his technical knowledge inadequate.
The Court found that the worker’s disability influenced the hiring decision and that the company had not proved equal treatment. It allowed his appeal and varied the Equality Officer’s decision, directing the company to pay a composite €12,000 award, inclusive of the earlier €4,000. The Court said no part of the award was for lost earnings.