Disability discrimination | Museum worker unfairly sacked over excessive emails to colleague

A museum technician sacked for reportedly bombarding a colleague with excessive emails has won a claim for unfair dismissal, with an employment tribunal ruling that her employer failed to properly consider her disabilities and alternative resolutions before terminating her employment.

An employment tribunal found that V & A Enterprises - which runs the Victoria & Albert Museum in London - unfairly dismissed Ms J Dickinson and also discriminated against her because of actions arising from her disability. 

The judge ruled that the dismissal was not a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim and breached her contract by failing to provide notice. A separate hearing to determine compensation will be held in April 2025.

'Surprisingly high' email exchanges trigger complaint

Ms Dickinson had been employed as a museum technician at the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington since 2016. The tribunal heard that tensions arose between Ms Dickinson and a colleague, Katy Smith, following a past personal relationship that ended in 2018.