Man alleges workplace discrimination over sleep disorder
Posted Feb 4, 2014 07:08:49 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A man from Enfield says a tech giant has discriminated against him because of a debilitating condition.
Roger LeFrense suffers from sleep apnea, a condition that causes breathing problems during sleep, which often leads to insomnia.
The 56-year-old had been working for IBM as a technician, part of which required him to be on call and he was worried about driving long distances with very little sleep.
Legal council Lisa Teryl told Global News LeFrense eventually took a different job with the company that had regular hours, but it came with a large pay cut and that’s why he has lodged the human rights complaint.
“The question becomes whether the new position he was placed in, whether the pay range was appropriate or whether there were other positions he could have landed in to accommodate his new disabled status,” said Teryl.
Teryl said the inquiry will establish the duty of a workplace when faced with a situation like LeFrense’s.
“At some point the employer doesn’t have to accommodate an employee if it reaches undue hardships,” explained Teryl.
LeFrense is looking for compensation for lost and future wages along with compensation for pension benefits he lost because of his now lower salary.
The inquiry continues today.
