The victim sued and won the case.
In Belgium, a 35-year-old woman was fired on her first working day. The employers did not like the fact that she had “knocked teeth”.
About this writes express.co.uk.
Justine, a 35-year-old Belgian, suffers from a hereditary disease that causes her teeth to become crooked. In August 2020, during the pandemic, she started working for an insurance company. On the very first day, a colleague invited her to drink coffee, after which Justine was ordered to leave.
“A colleague offered me a cup of coffee, and I accepted. I took off my mask and she saw my knocked-out teeth. I explained that it was the result of a hereditary disease and that the planned operation had been postponed. She said nothing, but when I returned after my lunch break, they called me aside and told me that I had better find another job. I had to sign a document that I agreed to the reduction. My self-confidence suffered a lot. I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible,” says the woman.
A dismissed employee of an insurance company sued her employer after her dismissal. At trial, the employer argued that Justine should have disclosed her dental condition before accepting the position. Lawyers representing the employer also claimed that Justine had behaved aggressively and was abusive.
Belgian law provides that employers cannot fire employees based on their appearance or disability.
The judges awarded Justine a six-month salary as compensation for material and moral damage caused by the incident. The court ruled that “the argument that the employee provokes a negative reaction from customers or colleagues because of her appearance cannot be considered as a legitimate reason justifying discrimination.”
It will be recalled that in the city of Bradford, in Great Britain, eight schools refused to accept a 12-year-old boy. His mother blames local officials for this.
Read also:
Source: TSN