Mr M Willis v GWB Harthills LLP and 2 others — 2021

At the hearing on 6 January 2021, Employment Judge Maidment recorded, on the basis of admissions in the respondents' representative's letter of 24 November 2020 and by consent, that the claimant's section 15 Equality Act 2010 complaints of discrimination arising from disability were well founded. The upheld matters were his removal from the role of designated member and managing partner, steps taken to expel him as a member, the removal and reinstatement of his person-with-significant-control status, his removal from decision-making and management processes, withholding of management and accounting information, and exclusion from a partners' meeting in January 2020.

The tribunal also found that the section 19 indirect disability discrimination complaint was well founded in relation to the practice of holding partnership meetings at the first respondent's Rotherham office, and that the section 20 reasonable adjustments complaint was well founded in relation to the failure to allow him to work from home, continue with his management roles, and/or return to work on a phased basis. The second and third respondents were held liable for those discriminatory acts as agents of the first respondent, which was treated as having done the acts.