British Airways stewardess sacked for being too scared to fly wins discrimination claim
Jennifer Clifford worked for the airline for almost 40 years before the Covid pandemic, an employment tribunal heard.
However, during a period of furlough and sick leave, she developed symptoms of stress and depression, leading to her being declared unfit to fly.
After being temporarily moved to a role of the ground, Ms Clifford was still unable to take to the skies by the end of 2022 and was fired.
She sued BA, claiming that a manager had 'minimised' the severity of her condition by describing it as 'just a little bit of anxiety'.
Now, she is set to receive compensation after the tribunal found the airline should have given her more credit for her decades of service and considered a different role for her that did not involve flying.
Unfit to fly
The tribunal in Reading, Berkshire, heard that Ms Clifford began working for BA in 1983 as a member of cabin crew.
She had risen to the rank of in-flight manager by the time the pandemic hit in 2020 and was placed on furlough in April.
During her period of leave she was told that she would be made redundant in August 2020.
This was later revoked and she was offered a role as cabin crew, two grades below her previous rank. She raised a grievance about the move.
Ms Clifford remained on furlough until September 2021 but then started a period of sick leave because of depression and work-related stress – her first period of sick leave during her time at the airline.
In September 2022 she was told that if she did not make herself fit to fly then a termination date for her role would be set.
Nigel Landy, her manager, described Ms Clifford as having 'just a little bit of anxiety' and said 'if you don't like working here then leave', the tribunal heard.
A termination date was set for March 2023 because of her inability to fly, but she resigned from her position December 2022.
Need for 'phased return'
Upholding her claims of disability discrimination, failure to make reasonable adjustments and unfair dismissal, Employment Judge Emma Hawksworth ruled: 'Ms Clifford needed a phased return in a ground duties placement before returning to her full contractual flying role.
'That was because of the need to rebuild her confidence and to give time to adjust to working again, and these requirements arose from her disability.'
She added that Mr Landy's remark about her anxiety was 'clumsy and suggested to [Ms Clifford] that he was minimising her condition'.
Judge Hawksworth added: 'A reasonable employer would have given her a longer and more suitable phased return ... and would, in line with its policy, have considered redeployment to a ground-based role before deciding to dismiss her.'
Ms Clifford, whose additional claim of sex discrimination was dismissed, will have her compensation decided at a later date.
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Reuters
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The Sun
13 minutes ago
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Daily Mail
13 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Chelsea 'put NINE stars up for sale or loan in end-of-window FIRE SALE' as they plot £300m in transfer income - with Raheem Sterling available for a loan move
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