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Time of India
6 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Woman sues employer after 20 years of being paid to do absolutely nothing
From valued hire to workplace exile 'I was paid, yes, but I was treated like I didn't exist' You Might Also Like: Employer forced engineer to attend off-shift online training sessions; he sued for overtime pay and won Company response and ongoing battle In a case that flips the fantasy of 'getting paid to do nothing' on its head, 59-year-old Laurence Van Wassenhove is taking one of Europe's biggest telecom companies, Orange , to court. She alleges that the company left her in a professional void for more than 20 years — full salary intact but with no tasks, no responsibilities, and virtually no human to French outlet FTV, Van Wassenhove described her experience as 'forced inactivity' that left her 'invisible' in the Wassenhove joined Orange in 1993, when it was still France Télécom. After developing epilepsy and hemiplegia — partial paralysis on one side of the body — she was reassigned from her original role to a secretarial position, making use of her HR her career stalled in 2002 when she sought a transfer to another region. An occupational health review deemed her unfit for the proposed post, and she was instead placed on 'standby,' marking the beginning of her decades-long professional limbo Despite her steady income, Van Wassenhove told Mediapart she faced financial struggles, eviction notices, and worsening mental health while caring for her autistic child. The isolation, she says, eroded her sense of purpose and left her battling severe lawyer, David Nabet-Martin, argues that Orange's inaction deprived her of 'having a place in society' as a disabled person, causing long-term psychological speaking to French outlet La Dépêche, insisted it considered Van Wassenhove's 'personal social situation' and maintained the 'best possible conditions' during her absence from active work. The company also claimed it had explored reintegrating her into a new role, though repeated sick leave meant it never Wassenhove first raised her concerns formally in 2015 with both the government and the High Authority for the Fight against Discrimination, but she claims little has changed. Early retirement was eventually suggested due to her disability — a prospect she saw as yet another push out of the working the idea of collecting a paycheck without lifting a finger might sound like the ultimate workplace perk, Van Wassenhove's case paints a more complicated picture — one where prolonged inactivity can be just as damaging as she takes her fight to court, the outcome could spark new conversations about the intersection of disability, workplace inclusion, and what it truly means to 'have a job.'
Economic Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Woman sues employer after 20 years of being paid to do absolutely nothing
Laurence Van Wassenhove is suing telecom giant Orange, formerly France Télécom, alleging two decades of paid inactivity severely impacted her well-being. Hired in 1993, her role diminished after developing health issues in 2002. Despite receiving a salary, Van Wassenhove claims the isolation and lack of purpose led to depression and financial struggles. A woman is suing her employer, a telecom giant. She claims the company paid her for 20 years without assigning any work. (Representational image: iStock) Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads From valued hire to workplace exile 'I was paid, yes, but I was treated like I didn't exist' Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Company response and ongoing battle In a case that flips the fantasy of 'getting paid to do nothing' on its head, 59-year-old Laurence Van Wassenhove is taking one of Europe's biggest telecom companies, Orange , to court. She alleges that the company left her in a professional void for more than 20 years — full salary intact but with no tasks, no responsibilities, and virtually no human to French outlet FTV, Van Wassenhove described her experience as 'forced inactivity' that left her 'invisible' in the Wassenhove joined Orange in 1993, when it was still France Télécom. After developing epilepsy and hemiplegia — partial paralysis on one side of the body — she was reassigned from her original role to a secretarial position, making use of her HR her career stalled in 2002 when she sought a transfer to another region. An occupational health review deemed her unfit for the proposed post, and she was instead placed on 'standby,' marking the beginning of her decades-long professional limbo Despite her steady income, Van Wassenhove told Mediapart she faced financial struggles, eviction notices, and worsening mental health while caring for her autistic child. The isolation, she says, eroded her sense of purpose and left her battling severe lawyer, David Nabet-Martin, argues that Orange's inaction deprived her of 'having a place in society' as a disabled person, causing long-term psychological speaking to French outlet La Dépêche, insisted it considered Van Wassenhove's 'personal social situation' and maintained the 'best possible conditions' during her absence from active work. The company also claimed it had explored reintegrating her into a new role, though repeated sick leave meant it never Wassenhove first raised her concerns formally in 2015 with both the government and the High Authority for the Fight against Discrimination, but she claims little has changed. Early retirement was eventually suggested due to her disability — a prospect she saw as yet another push out of the working the idea of collecting a paycheck without lifting a finger might sound like the ultimate workplace perk, Van Wassenhove's case paints a more complicated picture — one where prolonged inactivity can be just as damaging as she takes her fight to court, the outcome could spark new conversations about the intersection of disability, workplace inclusion, and what it truly means to 'have a job.'
