The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
MP Onasanya back in court over ex-worker’s discrimination claim
Peterborough MP Fiona Onasanya was back in court this week after a former employee took her to tribunal over claims she was discriminated against.
Jan Goodenough worked for Ms Onasanya as a case worker in 2017 shortly after she was elected as MP for the city.
But Ms Goodenough claims she was not treated fairly by Ms Onasanya because of her disability. She suffers from arthritis, IBS and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Yesterday (Wednesday) a tribunal started at Cambridge County Court, where Ms Goodenough said there was a disagreement about access to a lift at the constituency office at the Eco Innovation Centre in City Road, and close access to a toilet. Ms Goodenough said promises over the access were not kept. She also said she had been promised flexible parttime working when she started in her role, but was later told she had to be at the office on Mondays and Tuesdays between 9am and 5pm.
Stuart Brittenden, representing Ms Onasanya, suggested Ms Goodenough had refused to work in a downstairs meeting room, closer to toilets. She said: “I felt it would be discriminatory to work in isolation because of my disability.
“But if there was a need to I would have done so. I never asked to, and I was never asked to.”
The hearing heard Ms Goodenough had been told she could use the male toilets - but Rob Grayston, the constituency manager at the time, told the hearing it had been done in a ‘flippant’ manner, and was not meant to be taken seriously.
The hearing is expected to finish tomorrow (Friday). Independent MP Ms Onasanya denies discriminating against Ms Goodenough.