Former bakery worker with Tourette's awarded nearly £10,000 for disability discrimination

Jonathan Gee, a 31-year-old with Tourette's syndrome, ADHD, OCD and PTSD, was dismissed by baking-goods maker JF Renshaw after a verbal outburst in late 2020. A Liverpool Employment Tribunal found the firm treated his disabilities as “too much of a burden,” leading to his termination and subsequent refusals to re-employ him in 2021 and 2023. Judge Callum Cowx awarded Gee an injury-to-feelings sum, bringing his total compensation to £9,710.

The tribunal noted that adjustments such as informing colleagues of his conditions and allowing “time-out” breaks had not been implemented. It also recorded Gee’s coping mechanisms for stress, including self-harm, and his resulting reluctance to work in teams. The ruling underscores the legal obligations of employers to accommodate disabled staff.