A Starbucks employee has won a disability discrimination case after the company wrongly accused a dyslexic employee of falsifying documents when in fact her dyslexia led to the misreading of figures.
The Guardian reports that Meseret Kumulchew inaccurately recorded the fridge and water temperatures as a supervisor in a branch in Clapham, London.
Kumulchew had made her employers aware of her dyslexia and confessed. the accusation made her want to take her own life.
“I nearly ended my life. But I had to think of my kids. I know I’m not a fraud. I just made a mistake.”
Campaigners have highlighted this case as an example for all employers to make more allowances for staff with dyslexia.
A separate hearing will determine how much compensation Kumulchew will receive.
The tribunal said the company showed little to no understanding of equality issues, and Kate Saunders of The British Dyslexia Association spoke about the difficulties dyslexic people face in a work environment:
‘Many have found themselves very emotional, stressed, anxious and feeling as if they have nowhere else to turn. These feelings, which with the right support and awareness could easily be avoided, can lead to time off work and loss of productivity.’
