Claimant v PriceWaterhouseCooper Services Limited

Outcome

Facts

The claimant, employed by PwC since 2012, claimed to be disabled due to four conditions: ASD, ADHD (conceded by respondent), Burnout, and Other Specified Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorder. He was on long-term sick leave from November 2021 onwards. The claimant argued that he suffered from mental health difficulties from August 2020 but did not report them due to alexithymia (difficulty identifying and expressing emotions). Medical records from his GP and occupational health did not show evidence of mental health issues until February 2022, when low mood was first recorded and antidepressant medication commenced.

Decision

The tribunal found that Burnout was a symptom, not a condition capable of constituting a disability. However, the tribunal concluded that the claimant was disabled from 23 February 2022 onwards due to Other Specified Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorder, manifesting as low mood, disrupted sleep, and low energy. The tribunal rejected the claimant's assertion that he was disabled from August 2020, finding the contemporaneous medical records more reliable than retrospective self-reporting and the expert report, which had not seen all relevant medical records.

Practical note

Legal authorities cited