C v Menzies Aviation: stammer held to be a disability
New employment tribunal decision on stammering: C v Menzies Aviation. The claimant alleged he had been mimicked due to his stammer, and claimed disability discrimination. The tribunal held his stammer was a disability within the Equality Act. Its effect was much more than trivial. While – ultimately – the claimant might be able to express himself clearly, his communication was marked by his stammer and framed by the reactions of his audience, with the consequent and significant impact upon him and his day-to-day activities.
M v Real Care Agency
In M v Real Care Agency a home care worker was dismissed after being off sick with depression (a disability). Her stammer was normally not apparent but did arise during bad periods of depression. She made EqA claims as regards allegedly not being able to attend a probationary review meeting because of her stammer, and the employer being unwilling to discuss sick pay with her wife without proper authorisation when the claimant herself said she couldn’t cope with a phone call. The claims failed, mainly because the employer could not reasonably be expected to know of her stammer.
Universities
I’m still working on this area of the website, but I’ve published work in progress as it is so far:
- Revised page: Oral assessments at university: the rules
- New worked example: Example: Assessed presentation at university
- Revised page: University and FE: the rules – on the rules generally, not just assessments.
Updated information for employers from Stamma (British Stammering Association)
Update of links from my website to new/revised Stamma pages Job candidates who stammer (stamma.org) and Supporting staff who stammer (stamma.org), for employers.
Professional exams
Professional exams page reviewed and updated (Great Britain).
Also on Education: disability discrimination in Northern Ireland, I’ve added three arguments why it may be possible to challenge competence standards in both professional and academic exams in Northern Ireland, despite the Malcolm case.
Expiry of face covering regulations (England)
Face masks/coverings and stammering updated for the English regulations having finished. They no longer apply, as from 27th January. Workplaces and service providers that still choose to require face coverings are required to make reasonable adjustments.
Later, I’ve updated the same page for face coverings no longer being required by Transport for London (TfL) on tubes and buses etc, from 24th February 2022. But previous material retained at bottom of page in Archive: Transport for London (TfL) before 24th February 2022.
There is still discussion of the old English regulations on Archive: Face covering regulations and stammering.
Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Coronavirus (Covid-19) updated, including for revocation of face covering regulations, and workers in England no longer being advised to work from home.
Objective justification of indirect discrimination: group test?
Group test for objective justification of indirect discrimination? reviewed and updated.
Examples of jobs
Added to Examples of jobs done by people who stammer:
- Senior lecturer in university (YouTube video), 2022, from Stambassadors
- Police inspector (YouTube video), 2021, from Stambassadors
- Cloud consultant (YouTube video) at Deloittes, 2021,from Stambassadors
- Staying well worker (YouTube video) at local council, 2021, from Stambassadors
- Deputy director in DEFRA (YouTube video), 2020, from Stambassadors
- Learning support assistant (YouTube video), 2020, from Stambassadors
- By embracing my stutter, I have found my calling (tes.com), 2018 – in primary school for children with additional support needs.
- Previous updates Website updates November to December 2021.
