Claimant v Wendy Brown t/a Willow Bank Day Nursery
Outcome
Individual claims
This was a preliminary hearing to determine disability status only. The tribunal found the claimant was disabled by reason of a mental impairment with symptoms akin to depression and anxiety during August 2024 to March 2025. The substantive discrimination claims have not yet been determined.
Facts
This was a preliminary hearing to determine whether the claimant was a disabled person for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. The claimant was employed at Willow Bank Day Nursery and claimed to have suffered from a mental impairment with symptoms akin to depression and anxiety during the period August 2024 to March 2025. The claimant appeared in person while the respondent was represented by a litigation consultant.
Decision
The tribunal determined that the claimant was a disabled person during the relevant period (August 2024 to March 2025) by reason of a mental impairment with symptoms akin to depression and anxiety. This was a preliminary issue only; the substantive discrimination claims remain to be determined at a future hearing.
Practical note
A preliminary hearing successfully established disability status based on mental impairment, clearing the way for the substantive disability discrimination claims to proceed to a full merits hearing.
Legal authorities cited
Statutes
Case details
- Case number
- 6016721/2025
- Decision date
- 15 October 2025
- Hearing type
- preliminary
- Hearing days
- 1
- Classification
- contested
Respondent
- Sector
- education
- Represented
- Yes
- Rep type
- lay rep
Claimant representation
- Represented
- No