Asthmatic teacher who said pupils’ aerosol deodorants made her health worse wins £78,000 compensation
- Alison Grant-Ryder, 62, took sick leave from Maelor School in Wrexham, Wales
- After almost three decades, she was sacked in 2019 due to her sickness record
- She successfully claimed for unfair dismissal and on Monday won the payout
An asthmatic teacher who claimed pupils’ aerosols worsened her ill-health yesterday won £78,000 in compensation.
Alison Grant-Ryder, 62, was diagnosed with late-onset asthma which led to her being off work from Maelor School in Wrexham, North Wales, an employment tribunal heard.
After almost three decades there she was sacked in 2019 due to her sickness record.
However, she successfully claimed for unfair dismissal, and yesterday won a payout covering loss of earnings and injury to feelings.
The tribunal heard in 2013 Mrs Grant-Ryder, of Penley, had noticed her classroom floor was beginning to rise and split.
Alison Grant-Ryder, 62, who claimed pupils’ aerosols worsened her ill-health yesterday won £78,000 in compensation for unfair dismissal from Maelor School in Wrexham, North Wales
Months later she had her first asthma attack at work and an ambulance was called.
Another classroom then used by her suffered from damp.
Deodorants and hairsprays were banned at school. But in 2016 the drama teacher had her first of many asthma attacks triggered by pupils’ aerosols, the hearing was told, leading to her spending more time off.
The tribunal ruled that the decision to dismiss her ‘was based upon an inadequate consideration of her prognosis’.
‘There was, in our judgment, an inherent unfairness in dismissing the claimant when there was evidence that the cause of her long history of multiple, short-term absences was under control and had been for at least a year,’ the tribunal panel declared.
The comprehensive school also contravened the Equality Act 2010 by failing to comply with the duty to take reasonable steps ‘to avoid the disadvantage to the claimant arising from a physical feature, namely the use of aerosols within classrooms.’
Mrs Grant-Ryder, of Penley, won compensation including for loss of earnings and injury to feelings.
The NASUWT union, which backed the claim, said it was ‘very pleased’. The school was approached for comment.
In 2016 Mrs Grant-Ryder had her first of many asthma attacks triggered by pupils’ aerosols, the hearing was told, leading to her spending more time off (stock)
