Employment Appeal Tribunal Upholds Ruling on Disability Discrimination Compensation
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has dismissed an appeal concerning disability discrimination, upholding the original tribunal's findings on reasonable adjustments and compensation.
• public
EAT confirms tribunal findings on reasonable adjustments
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has dismissed an appeal brought by Karen Steedman against East Lothian Council. The judgment, delivered by The Honourable Lady Poole, confirms that an earlier tribunal did not err in law when it determined the scope of reasonable adjustments and the subsequent compensation awarded to the appellant.
Background of the case
The dispute originated from claims of disability discrimination, unfair dismissal, and harassment. In a 2020 decision, a tribunal found that the respondent had failed to make reasonable adjustments for the appellant, specifically by not moving her away from a particular manager within the East Lothian Works team.
Following a lengthy legal process and a remitted hearing in 2025, a second tribunal awarded £15,250 in compensation plus interest for the failure to make adjustments. It dismissed claims for unfair dismissal and discrimination arising from disability.
Tribunal's reasoning upheld
On appeal, the appellant argued that the tribunal had improperly limited the time frame and scope of the required reasonable adjustment. The EAT disagreed. It ruled that the tribunal was entitled to interpret the initial findings to determine when the duty to make adjustments was active. The EAT noted that the adjustment ceased to be reasonable once the appellant indicated she would not return to her substantive post.
Furthermore, the EAT rejected the appellant's challenge regarding the level of compensation. It concluded that the tribunal had correctly applied legal principles and was entitled to find that no financial loss flowed from the failure to make the reasonable adjustment, given the specific factual circumstances of the case.
Read the entire judgment here: Karen Steedman v East Lothian Council [2026] EAT 142
