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Cancer hospital pays applicant after anxiety claim
5 Mar
Summary
- Hospital ordered to pay over £6,000 to job applicant.
- Applicant's anxiety impacted interview answers under pressure.
- Tribunal found hospital failed to make reasonable adjustments.
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust must pay over £6,000 to Anahita Rezaei, a job applicant who alleged her anxiety disorder impacted her interview performance. Ms. Rezaei applied for a Pathology Operations Manager post in February 2024. Although she was ranked highly by some interviewers, another candidate was ultimately offered the role.
An employment tribunal found the hospital failed to make reasonable adjustments for Ms. Rezaei's anxiety. Specifically, the tribunal noted the trust should have assessed if her disability affected her interview scores before filling the vacancy. Recruitment records were incomplete, preventing certainty on candidate rankings.
The tribunal determined the interview process was flawed and that the hospital took no steps to address potential unfairness when Ms. Rezaei disclosed her anxiety. Ms. Rezaei was awarded £6,000 for injury to feelings, plus interest and preparation costs, totaling £7,720.
