Disability claim is upheld

The College of Ripon and York St John has failed to quash a disability discrimination claim. When faced with allegations of discrimination from disabled lecturer Claire Hobbs, the college apparently ignored its earlier unequivocal acknowledgement of her disability and attempted to argue that she was not disabled after all.

In a unanimous decision earlier this year, the Leeds employment tribunal ruled that Ms Hobbs is indeed disabled within the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act, 1995. During the tribunal it emerged that the college had not only previously accepted Ms Hobbs's disability under the act, but had also been claiming financial and material support for Ms Hobbs under the Department for Education and Employment's Access To Work scheme for disabled people.

A date for Ms Hobbs's full hearing has yet to be set, as Ripon and York St John is to appeal.