Resolved complaint (251) about disability, racial and political opinion discrimination in employment
Learn how a complaint (251) about disability, racial and political opinion discrimination in employment was resolved through conciliation.
Summary
- Year: 2025
- Relevant Act: Disability Discrimination Act; Racial Discrimination Act; Other discrimination in employment
- Grounds: Descent; Disability; Ethnic origin; National origin/extraction; Political Opinion; Race; Trade union activity
- Area(s): Employment
- Settlement terms:
- Employment - other
- Statement of regret - private
About the complaint
The complainant has autism spectrum disorder and is of Scottish descent and worked as a customer service attendant with the respondent government agency. He alleged he was disciplined on multiple occasions for his communication style, which he said is a manifestation of his disability. He alleged he was not allowed to wear a traditional Scottish clan hat, despite the agency having a policy allowing staff to wear cultural attire. He further alleged he was targeted for expressing his political opinion and engaging in trade union activity.
The government agency denied the allegations and expressed a willingness to participate in conciliation.
The complaint was resolved with an agreement that the agency add relevant information to the complainant’s employee file and express its regret for his experience.
Guidance on the use of these summaries
This is a summary of a selected complaint that has been resolved through our conciliation process. It's designed to help people better understand how complaints might be resolved and what outcomes are possible.
These summaries are for general guidance only and are not legal advice. If you need advice about your situation, you should seek independent legal support.
Please note:
- all complaints are de-identified
- complaints are resolved on a 'without admission of liability' basis
- some content may include confronting or offensive language.
