Lidia Kogut successfully sued the library for “failing to make reasonable adjustments”, the Daily Mail reported on Saturday (15 February).
Kogut was awarded £7,556 in compensation, which included £1,350 for a reduction in her salary and £6,204 for injury to feelings.
The library, based in Kings Cross, reportedly failed to provide Kogut with a quieter workstation or to offer her an alternative role.
Jacob Meagher, director of the consultancy Reasonable Adjustment, emphasised that employers and HR professionals have a legal obligation to support employees who require reasonable adjustments.
Doing so is good practice and avoids tribunal claims and bad press, he added, telling HR magazine: “An employer should normalise adjustments; this is different from ensuring adherence to the legal health and safety minima. Enable staff to be open an honest about the difficulties they face, and what would make their job and perhaps life easier.”
Read more: Employment tribunal backlog worsens
Employees should be included in any decisions that are being made about their working conditions, said Joanna Hurry, coach and disability awareness trainer.
Hurry told HR magazine: “Open communication between HR, managers and staff is vital to make sure the employee is involved in the process and feels heard and supported.”
She suggested referring reasonable adjustment requests to occupational health, or initiating a workplace assessment to determine the kinds of adjustments required.
To avoid situations where an employee formally complains about reasonable adjustments not being put in place, employers should take a proactive approach and implement clear policies and procedures, according to employment law partner at law firm Aaron and Partners, Paul Hennity.
Speaking to HR magazine, Hennity said: “Employers should liaise with staff openly about their specific needs and [employers should] try to see it as an opportunity to support the individual, rather than it being a burden on the business.”
Read more: Disabled employees still struggling to get adjustments
Zoë Lagadec, principal consultant at work behaviour and culture specialist Byrne Dean, reinforced Hennity's view. She advised HR leaders to promote openness among staff and encourage a culture of support. Speaking to HR magazine, Lagadec suggested that employers "de-stigmatise asking for help while adopting common policies, procedures and practices, especially where similar adjustments have been made successfully in the past.”
Being proactive and creating an inclusive culture can help mitigate a situation where an employee may complain formally, Lagadec added, noting: “Employers need to recognise that providing reasonable adjustments is not a one-size-fits-all situation.
“Providing effective, reasonable adjustments for an individual is a nuanced and skilled task. What works for one person in one role may not work for another or a different work situation. Communication and flexibility are the keys to getting it right.”
