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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Win for disability rights woman | Win for disability rights woman |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A woman who said she was "harassed" into resigning from her job because she has a disabled son has won the latest round in her discrimination case. | |
| A European Court of Justice judge agreed that Sharon Coleman suffered "discrimination by association". | A European Court of Justice judge agreed that Sharon Coleman suffered "discrimination by association". |
| She claimed her former London employers Attridge Law described her as "lazy" for wanting time off to care for her son. | She claimed her former London employers Attridge Law described her as "lazy" for wanting time off to care for her son. |
| Campaigners have said the case may help provide protection for other carers. | Campaigners have said the case may help provide protection for other carers. |
| Ms Coleman said her manager had commented that her child was always sick, and had accused her of trying to use his condition to get out of work. | |
| She said she was overjoyed the case - which had been heard by an appeal tribunal - was being heard by the European Court. | |
| When they heard that my son Oliver had a serious illness, they didn't expect me to return to work Sharon Coleman | |
| "I was upset and shocked at the attitude of my former employers. They knew about my son's problems because I took him into the office, but they wouldn't allow me to work flexibly to make it easier to look after him," she said. | |
| "Other members of staff were taking time off for hospital appointments or worked from home but my requests were always turned down. | |
| "When they heard that my son Oliver had a serious illness, they didn't expect me to return to work." | |
| Since the UK instituted the Human Rights Act, few cases have been referred to Europe. | |
| However, in this case the EU's Equal Treatment Directive's interpretation of disability discrimination is much wider than the UK's - in Europe, the person does not have to suffer from the disability themselves but could be the parent or spouse of a disabled person. | |
| Carers UK chief executive Imelda Redmond said: "This case has profound implications for the one in five carers who give up work to care and face discrimination at work as a direct consequence of caring." |