Bald Employee Loses Discrimination Claim
As any manager or employer is aware, there are a small minority of employees who resort to tribunals with frivolous actions following the termination of employment.
In a landmark case this week, which could have opened the floodgates for millions of similar claims, a retired schoolteacher - who insisted that he was a victim of disability discrimination - has, thankfully, lost.
James Campbell, told the Glasgow employment tribunal how he had suffered abuse at the hands of his pupils resulting in a "substantial and long term adverse effect".
Speaking during the hearing he went on to say "How can I stand in front of a class with confidence to get on with my job when I am getting teased and bullied, when I think they are laughing at me all the time," adding that he "left school later at night after the bell went to avoid the kids". (So that would be 4.15pm then?)
James Campbell suffers from androgenetic alopecia, more commonly known on the school playground as being a 'slap head'.
In dismissing the claim and seeming closing the door on similar claims, the Chair of the tribunal said, "If baldness was to be regarded as an impairment then perhaps a physical feature such as a big nose, big ears or being smaller than average height might of themselves be regarded as an impairment under the Disability Discrimination Act".
Whilst both legal groups and employers have welcomed this ruling, his omission of 'gingers' has been seen as potentially having far reaching implications in Scotland.
For more on what happens up north, click here.
James Campbell, told the Glasgow employment tribunal how he had suffered abuse at the hands of his pupils resulting in a "substantial and long term adverse effect".
Speaking during the hearing he went on to say "How can I stand in front of a class with confidence to get on with my job when I am getting teased and bullied, when I think they are laughing at me all the time," adding that he "left school later at night after the bell went to avoid the kids". (So that would be 4.15pm then?)
James Campbell suffers from androgenetic alopecia, more commonly known on the school playground as being a 'slap head'.
In dismissing the claim and seeming closing the door on similar claims, the Chair of the tribunal said, "If baldness was to be regarded as an impairment then perhaps a physical feature such as a big nose, big ears or being smaller than average height might of themselves be regarded as an impairment under the Disability Discrimination Act".
Whilst both legal groups and employers have welcomed this ruling, his omission of 'gingers' has been seen as potentially having far reaching implications in Scotland.
For more on what happens up north, click here.
Here Is The Writer : Martin Gallagher
Martin Gallagher has never played for West Ham or England, nor had a number one hit single, but he has worked in the City for many years (for what that's worth). A life-long Londoner, he made the migration from east to west a few years back and is still trying to get used to the absence of fried chicken takeaways and the over abdundance of coffee shops. Martin is married, has two daughters, and is also interested in travelling, football and writing. He hopes to publish his first novel 'sometime in the future'.
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