Discrimination ruling against council chief
THE incoming chief executive of Sandwell Council has lost an employment tribunal after a judge ruled comments in a previous job towards an employee amounted to discrimination.
Shokat Lal had refused a flexible working request by worker Yassir Mahmood when he was assistant chief executive at Rotherham Borough Council.
Mr Mahmood suffers from significant problems with his left leg due to damage caused by a botched foot operation.
He had requested a work pattern of nine-day fortnights as a permanent arrangement, to care for his severely disabled son and his mother, whose health was deteriorating.
He also requested temporary working from home while his wife underwent surgery. But Mr Lal had told Mr Mahmood he needed to “manage his own life” and that it was “not Rotherham Council’s responsibility” to manage his disability and said: “Whilst I have sympathy for the long commute you undertake, you knew how far this was at the point of applying for and accepting the role.
“As you suggest your condition is deteriorating, that is something that you need to consider going forward.
“We also discussed your own responsibility for managing your disability and supporting your family, the obligation of the authority is with regards to the role you occupy and ability to conduct that role.”
Mr Mahmood told the tribunal he found Mr Lal’s comments “offended, humiliated and degraded” him. The tribunal concluded Mr Lal’s comments amounted to discrimination arising from disability. Mr Mahmood was awarded £4,881 at the tribunal.
A Sandwell Council spokesman said: “We are not going to comment on this issue as it relates to an employment matter at another council.”
Sandwell Council leader Cllr Kerrie Carmichael, said Mr Lal was an “outstanding choice” for the local authority. She said: “I’m delighted that Shokat has now been approved as our new permanent chief executive. His experience together with his evident passion and commitment to transforming services for residents made him the outstanding choice to lead the council through the significant challenges ahead.”