Resolved complaint (147) about disability discrimination in employment

About the complaint

The complainant has Attention-Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder and Persistent Depressive Disorder and works as a distance education teacher with the respondent government department. He alleged the department declined his request to work from home to accommodate his disability on the basis that he had not provided sufficient evidence to support his request. 

On being notified of the complaint, the department indicated it would be open to allow the complainant to work from home to accommodate his disability, so long as the adjustments did not prevent the complainant from performing the inherent requirements of his role or cause unjustifiable hardship to the Department. 

The complaint was resolved with an agreement that the department write to the complainant expressing its regret for the events giving rise to the complaint and pay him $7,500 as general damages. The department also agreed that its senior managers would undertake e-learning modules on managing staff with disability.

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