High-profile academy created “hostile environment” for young teacher with multiple sclerosis, tribunal finds

Brampton Manor Academy

A young woman battling multiple sclerosis has won a landmark employment tribunal judgment, after it found she had been put through intense anxiety, “harassment” and “intimidation”, which may have worsened her condition, by the high-profile academy which had employed her as a newly-qualified teacher.

Brampton Manor Academy, in Newham, East London, was found to have discriminated against Yasmin Omar in multiple ways arising from her disability, during less than six months working at the school where she was described as having been “intimidated”, placed under “extreme pressure” and left “frightened” by management decisions.

Omar’s ordeal had started on day one of her time at Brampton Manor, the tribunal found, as an assistant principal refused to grant her half an hour off so she could meet an urgent hospital appointment. Stress-enhancing events then continued, one after another, with the tribunal repeatedly describing the school as having been made a “hostile environment” for her.

After less than three months in the job, Omar initially resigned, only to be persuaded to return with the promise that she would start on reduced hours.