STUC welcomes landmark victory for Britain’s six million carers
The STUC today welcomed the decision of the European Court of Justice to uphold the right of a woman who was denied time off work to look after her disabled son.
Sharon Coleman, who was forced to resign her work as a legal secretary was found to have suffered “discrimination by association” in breach of EU rules.
The ground-breaking judgment found that the EU Directive which outlaws discrimination at work on grounds of disability is not limited to disabled people themselves but extends also to those caring for them.
STUC Deputy General Secretary Dave Moxham said:
“This judgment is excellent news for thousands of Scottish workers with primary care responsibilities – people who want proper careers but who also wish to care for their loved ones. This could herald a massive extension in the right to flexible working, which will, in turn, ensure that the best of the skills of all workers – particularly women – will be available to the UK economy.”