Claimant v Stoke on Trent College
Outcome
Individual claims
The tribunal determined that at the relevant times the claimant was not a disabled person as defined in section 6 of the Equality Act 2010 because of Generalised Anxiety Disorder. Without establishing disabled status, the disability discrimination complaints could not succeed and were therefore dismissed.
This claim was not determined at the preliminary hearing. The judgment specifically preserves the claimant's ability to pursue the constructive unfair dismissal complaint, indicating it will proceed to a future hearing.
Facts
Mr Linton brought claims of disability discrimination and constructive unfair dismissal against Stoke on Trent College. He claimed to be disabled due to Generalised Anxiety Disorder. A preliminary hearing was held to determine whether he met the statutory definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010.
Decision
The tribunal found that the claimant did not meet the definition of a disabled person under section 6 of the Equality Act 2010 in relation to his Generalised Anxiety Disorder. Consequently, all disability discrimination complaints were dismissed. The constructive unfair dismissal claim remains live and can proceed.
Practical note
Claimants must establish they meet the statutory definition of disability under section 6 of the Equality Act 2010 before disability discrimination claims can succeed, and this can be determined as a preliminary issue.
Legal authorities cited
Statutes
Case details
- Case number
- 6023042/2024
- Decision date
- 13 October 2025
- Hearing type
- preliminary
- Hearing days
- 1
- Classification
- contested
Respondent
- Sector
- education
- Represented
- Yes
- Rep type
- barrister
Claimant representation
- Represented
- No