A sales advisor in an O2 phone shop has been awarded more than €185,000 in a settlement of a disability discrimination case against his employers.
Eamon Bowen, 40, worked for Telefonica Ltd for a number of years in different shops across the north west.
In 2014 he was diagnosed with spondylolisthesis, a degenerative disc disease.
It causes him chronic pain and exhaustion, as well as issues with sleep and mobility.
Mr Bowen was forced to take periods of sick leave due to his health.
The company referred him to Occupational Health which made various recommendations to help him back into work.
Mr Bowen said he was keen to keep working and worked from home during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He returned to work after lockdown, but found spending long days on his feet difficult to deal with.
The Occupational Health team recommended a phased return to work, reduced working hours and the use of a support chair.
Mr Bowen said the recommendations were not implemented properly.
He tried repeatedly to discuss the matter with his employer but eventually felt that he had no option but to leave and tendered his resignation in 2021.
"I enjoyed my job, I wanted to work. Occupational Health made recommendations time and time again to help me to return to and remain in work, but these were not fully implemented.
"In the end, without these supports and adjustments it became impossible for me to continue working.
"I believe their failure to fully implement Occupational Health's recommendations and to talk to me about my needs as a disabled person cost me my job."
Northern Ireland's Equality Commission supported his case and it was settled in the sum of £160,000 (€186,000), one of the biggest settlements it has ever had.
Chief Commissioner Geraldine McGahey said the case had been settled for a significant amount of money and the company had lost a valuable employee.
"It is essential that employers carefully consider all recommendations made by Occupational Health and communicate with the person with a disability to ensure they understand their needs.
"It’s also important that all staff, particularly line managers, know that the law says reasonable adjustments have to be considered."
In settling the case, Telefonica apologised to Mr Bowen for the distress and injury to feelings he experienced.
It has agreed to work with the Equality Commission to review its policies, practices and procedures.
The case was settled without admission of liability.
An O2 spokesperson said: "As one of the UK's largest businesses with a broad and diverse workforce, we have a range of measures in place to support employees who have a disability or specific needs, such as making layout changes for wheelchair users, hiring sign language interpreters for employees with hearing difficulties, and providing specialist equipment where appropriate.
"We have apologised to Mr Bowen for any distressed caused in this case, and we are pleased to have mutually reached a settlement."
