Mr S Jafrate v Royal Mail Group Limited — 2022

The claimant, an operational postal grade employee, relied on thyroid problems and anxiety and depression as disabilities. The Tribunal found that the respondent accepted thyroid disability from March 2014 and anxiety and depression from October 2020. The reasonable adjustments complaints concerning 2014-2018 were brought outside the statutory time limit; the Tribunal declined to extend time and also found, in the alternative, that those complaints were not well-founded.

For the later reasonable adjustments complaints, the Tribunal found that the respondent had made adjustments including indoor work, adjusted walks, reduced walking, earlier start times, dual preparation, access to toilet facilities and a quiet room option. It found that the claimant had not established the pleaded substantial disadvantages in a number of respects, and that where duties did place him at a disadvantage, reasonable adjustments had been made.

Most harassment allegations were dismissed. The Tribunal upheld one harassment allegation arising from 17 December 2020, when a colleague repeated words referring to the claimant's refusal the previous day to put out trays and go home. The Tribunal found that this conduct related to disability and had the proscribed effect under section 26 Equality Act 2010. Remedy for that finding was adjourned.

The victimisation complaints were dismissed. The Tribunal accepted that the 3 November 2020 grievance was a protected act, but found no causal connection between that grievance and the alleged detriments, including requests about trays, mask-related instructions, the workplace coach allowance issue, and the door-to-door leaflet investigation.