Case dismissed | IBM worker off sick for 15 years sued firm for not giving him a pay rise

An IBM worker on sick leave for 15 years has failed in his argument that the firm acted discriminatory for not giving him a pay rise during his absence.

Ian Clifford claimed he was the victim of disability discrimination by the tech giant because his salary had not been increased since he was last able to work in 2008.

Clifford, who was an IT specialist before taking long-term sick leave, has earned more than £54,000 a year since taking long-term sick leave, but argued this figure was “not generous enough” and had lost a lot of value due to inflation.

But the claims were thrown out by an employment judge, who ruled Clifford’s sick pay has been “very substantial”.