Courts / Galway / Report
Cancer survivor wins €5k after HSE ordered her back to kitchen work during pandemic
Summary
Deirdre O'Grady, a cancer survivor with chemotherapy‑induced nerve damage, filed a complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998 against the Health Service Executive (HSE). She had been promised a full‑time office role in Tuam after her treatment, but when the Covid‑19 pandemic began in 2020 she was redeployed to Ballinasloe and required to work full‑time in a kitchen, contrary to medical advice. The HSE argued it had adhered to medical recommendations and that occupational health reports deemed her fit for the duties. The tribunal found the HSE had made some efforts but failed to meet its legal obligations for reasonable accommodation. The adjudicating officer awarded O'Grady €5,000 for disability discrimination, while rejecting a claim for extra mileage compensation as an unreasonable burden on the employer.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Cancer survivor wins €5k after HSE ordered her back to kitchen work during pandemic. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- 1 July Other
- November 2020 Other
- 1 July 2020 Other
- 22 August 2022 Other
- 2016 and 2018 Other
- 2024-02-20 Publication
Why: A cancer survivor who was ordered to work full-time in a health service kitchen when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, despite a promise to assign her office work because of chemotherapy-induced nerve damage, has won €5,000 for disability discrimination. CNI source report
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