Claimant v Ikea Distribution Services Limited

The tribunal found the respondent genuinely believed the claimant could no longer perform his Co-worker role after 2.5 years of light duties with no prognosis for recovery. The respondent had reasonable grounds based on GP fit notes, multiple OH reports, and the claimant's inability to provide a recovery timeline. The respondent adequately consulted the claimant through six capability meetings, three welfare meetings, and several OH referrals over 2.5 years. Dismissal fell within the band of reasonable responses given the prolonged period, lack of medical evidence of improvement, and operational need for all workers to rotate tasks including heavy lifting.

The tribunal found the respondent followed GP and OH advice by placing the claimant on light duties from September 2021 onwards and did not require him to carry out inappropriate heavy duties. Managers' questions about prognosis and recovery timescales were not harassment but necessary and supportive enquiries to understand the claimant's condition and provide appropriate support. Dismissal after 2.5 years was a proportionate means of achieving the legitimate aim of adequate resourcing, given the claimant could not perform the full Co-worker role, had provided no recovery timeline despite two trips to Egypt for treatment, and the operational need for all workers to rotate including heavy lifting tasks.