Cases2407961/2022

Claimant v Ian Ambrose

22 March 2024Before Employment Judge BattenManchesteron papers

Outcome

Claimant fails

Individual claims

Direct Discrimination(disability)failed

The claimant failed in her contention that she was a disabled person at the material time. The burden of proof was on the claimant to show that the effects of her impairment met the test in section 6 and schedule 1 of the Equality Act 2010, but she presented very little evidence to support this. The tribunal found insufficient evidence regarding day-to-day effects and contemporaneous evidence of disability status.

Facts

This is a reconsideration application by the claimant following a preliminary hearing judgment sent on 14 October 2024 which dismissed her disability discrimination claim. The claimant had applied for reconsideration on 28 October 2024, arguing inadequate reasonable adjustments were made at the fifth preliminary hearing and that insufficient weight was given to evidence of her disability. The tribunal had found at the original preliminary hearing that the claimant failed to establish she was a disabled person at the material time under the Equality Act 2010.

Decision

Employment Judge Batten refused the reconsideration application on the papers under Rule 72(1), finding no reasonable prospect of the original decision being varied or revoked. The judge found that reasonable adjustments had been properly reviewed and implemented at multiple preliminary hearings, that regular breaks were taken, and that the claimant had presented very little contemporaneous evidence to support her disability status. The application was essentially an attempt to re-litigate rather than identifying any error of law or procedural mishap.

Practical note

Reconsideration applications cannot be used to re-argue a case with different emphasis or to present evidence available at the original hearing — finality in litigation is a key principle and the claimant bears the burden of proving disability status with contemporaneous evidence.

Legal authorities cited

Ministry of Justice v Burton and anor [2016] EWCA Civ 714Liddington v 2Gether NHS Foundation Trust EAT/0002/16

Statutes

Equality Act 2010 Schedule 1Equality Act 2010 s.6Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure 2013 Rule 72(1)Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure 2013 Rule 70

Case details

Case number
2407961/2022
Decision date
22 March 2024
Hearing type
reconsideration
Hearing days
Classification
procedural

Respondent

Sector
Represented
No

Claimant representation

Represented
No