Tribunal says council did not discriminate (From Croydon Guardian)

Tribunal says Croydon Council did not discriminate

1:50pm Wednesday 16th January 2013 in News By Hannah Williamson

A council worker made redundant after an unsuccessful job interview the day after she was re-diagnosed with cancer has lost her claim for compensation.

Former Croydon Council policy strategy manager Linda Oram claimed unfair dismissal and disability discrimination, after she lost her job following a restructuring of the chief executive's office.

During the week long hearing the council strenuously denied her claim.

This week tribunal judge Michael Zuke ruled the council had not acted unfairly.

Ms Oram of Crofton Park Road, Brockley, told the tribunal her interview to secure one of two new posts last September, took place the day after she was told the mouth cancer she had first had in 2005 had returned.

She claimed the interview should have been rescheduled because of the bad news, but accepted she did not ask for it to be moved.

However, she alleged prior to the appointment that she had told her line manager that if she received bad news at the check-up, it could have a negative effect on her performance.

In a witness statement given to the tribunal Ms Oram's line manager said at no point was concern or anxiety in relation to the check-up expressed.

Ms Oram who in her role helped to provide advice to the council chief executive and leader of the council, said she was disappointed by the judgement, but recognised the task of the tribunal as a difficult one.

She added: "Though the panel eventually favoured the evidence provided by the Council, I did learn a great deal during the process and have emerged feeling much more positive about my own future prospects."

A spokeswoman for Croydon Council said: "The tribunal’s unanimous verdict in this case was that the council was not guilty of any discrimination and we’re pleased that our actions have been shown to have been fair and even-handed.

"We are sympathetic to the distress that redundancy can cause, and we always seek to redeploy staff who are at risk into other suitable roles, although that proved to not be possible in this situation."