Britain's six million carers won a landmark victory today when the European Court of Justice upheld the right of a woman who was denied time off work to look after her disabled son. Sharon Coleman, who was forced to resign her work as a legal secretary, claims that she suffered "discrimination by association" in breach of EU rules. In a ground-breaking ruling the European Court judges held that an EU Directive which outlaws discrimination at work on grounds of disability is not limited to disabled people themselves but extends also to those caring for them. The ruling also reinforces the previous law that any discrimination at work by association - whether on grounds of religion or belief, age or sexual orientation is also prohibited.
Britain's six million carers won a landmark victory today when the European Court of Justice upheld the right of a woman who was denied time off work to look after her disabled son.
Sharon Coleman, who was forced to resign her work as a legal secretary, claims that she suffered "discrimination by association" in breach of EU rules.
In a ground-breaking ruling the European Court judges held that an EU Directive which outlaws discrimination at work on grounds of disability is not limited to disabled people themselves but extends also to those caring for them.
The ruling also reinforces the previous law that any discrimination at work by association - whether on grounds of religion or belief, age or sexual orientation is also prohibited.
EU anti-discrimination rules are not limited to disabled people, but also protect those who provide care to a handicapped relative, the European Court of Justice ruled on Thursday (17 July). The legal case was triggered by Sharon Coleman, the mother of a disabled son in the UK, who had lost her job after demanding flexible working arrangements because of her caring responsibilities. The verdict extends the scope of EU anti-discrimination rules Mrs Coleman also claimed she had faced "abusive and insulting comments" about her and her ill child. "They wouldn't allow me to work flexibly to make it easier to look after him. Other members of staff were taking time off for hospital appointments or worked from home, but my requests were always turned down," she was cited as saying by the UK Daily Mail. The Luxembourg-based court ruled that the former legal secretary in a law firm, Attridge Law, faced so-called discrimination by association - discriminatory treatment due to caring for a disabled dependent relative.
EU anti-discrimination rules are not limited to disabled people, but also protect those who provide care to a handicapped relative, the European Court of Justice ruled on Thursday (17 July).
The legal case was triggered by Sharon Coleman, the mother of a disabled son in the UK, who had lost her job after demanding flexible working arrangements because of her caring responsibilities.
The verdict extends the scope of EU anti-discrimination rules
Mrs Coleman also claimed she had faced "abusive and insulting comments" about her and her ill child.
"They wouldn't allow me to work flexibly to make it easier to look after him. Other members of staff were taking time off for hospital appointments or worked from home, but my requests were always turned down," she was cited as saying by the UK Daily Mail.
The Luxembourg-based court ruled that the former legal secretary in a law firm, Attridge Law, faced so-called discrimination by association - discriminatory treatment due to caring for a disabled dependent relative.
also an employer may feel that they aren't getting value from their employee if their absences are difficult to cover.
I think this has to be better organised, but we have to value unpaid familial carers within society more than we do and provide appropriate support for all involved. keep to the Fen Causeway
