Mick is a young Indigenous man who suffers from a moderate intellectual impairment. He was working as a casual kitchen hand in regional Qld for a month, when his position was terminated.
Mick’s disability included a slow developmental delay and this affected his short term memory. As a result Mick was unable to remember simple instructions at work and had to keep asking the other staff for assistance. He was abused and bullied in the workplace and called stupid because he could not remember how to do things.
This was Mick’s first job and he was very proud to be working. When he lost his job he was emotionally crushed. He developed severe anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his termination.
Mick tried every community legal centre and law firm near his home town for help. All of them said that his case had no merit because his employers were arguing poor work conduct as the primary reason for his termination.
BRQ became involved when Mick approached our Disability Discrimination service with his complaint. It was clear to us that his former employers must have known that he had a disability as he was on a Disability Support Pension when he applied for the position and had school related special education classes included in his resume.
The matter was settled at conciliation and Mick was awarded a work reference and a sum of money for pain hurt and humiliation. This outcome means that Mick may in time have confidence to try to re-enter the workforce.