Disabled employee claims discrimination

3rd July 2009

A former factory worker with polio has claimed his employer discriminated against him on grounds of disability and race.

Azam Khan from Newcastle claims that the company he worked for - Palatine Beds – dismissed him because he was unable to perform his duties after an operation in January 2006, The Chronicle reports.

He believes other positions within the establishment could have allowed him to continue to work, but he was not given the opportunity to fulfil them and was instead fired by his then-manager, Lynn Stephenson.

"I'm able to do the duties but if no-one is willing to listen to me then what am I supposed to do?" the 44-year-old stated.

Mr Khan also alleges he was denied an increase in his pay due to his Pakistani origins.

Ms Stephenson refuted the allegations while giving evidence and claimed that the removal of a £100,000 council grant forced the enterprise to make wholesale changes.

In recent news, a landmark ruling made at the House of Lords means that disabled people in the workplace will not have added protection if they experience a disability that fluctuates in severity over periods of time.