Royal Mail has been ordered to pay a veteran postman nearly £13,000 after the company prevented him from beginning his shifts at 5am.
Darren Williams, who suffers from autism and mental health conditions diagnosed in 2022, successfully brought a disability discrimination case against his employer.
An employment tribunal in Manchester awarded Mr Williams £12,925 for injury to feelings after finding the postal service failed to make reasonable adjustments for his disability.
The long-serving postal worker, based in Eccles, Greater Manchester, had relied on his early morning start time to manage his anxiety.
Beginning work at 5am allowed him to steer clear of busy periods and crowds, which helped ease his condition.
Mr Williams first joined Royal Mail as a teenager, beginning his postal career at just 15 years old.
For decades, he maintained the same working pattern at the Eccles delivery office, clocking in at 5am and finishing at 12.42pm.
His routine saw him arrive at the depot in the early hours before setting off on his delivery rounds at approximately 9am.
Royal Mail has paid out Mr Williams (file pic)
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GETTY
This long-established schedule proved essential for managing his anxiety, as the early hours meant fewer people on the streets.
The arrangement also served a practical purpose beyond his mental health needs.
Finishing before 1pm enabled Mr Williams to return home in time to provide care for his wife, who has her own health difficulties requiring support.
The dispute arose when Mr Williams took sick leave between November 2022 and February 2023.
Upon his return, Royal Mail informed him that his original route had been merged into a different walk, with his new start time pushed back to 6.45am, or 7.30am on Tuesdays.
Mr Williams said he felt ‘harassed’ by Royal Mail
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PAThe company said the change was intended to reduce the likelihood of further long-term absences.
While still off work, Mr Williams received numerous emails from his manager regarding the shift alteration.
He responded emphatically: “I DON’T WANT TO CHANGE MY HOURS.”
At the tribunal, he described feeling harassed by “constant email and letters telling me I have to change my hours”.
Royal Mail was requested to pay the compensation
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GettyMr Williams subsequently took further sick leave from April 2023 until February 2024, with an occupational health assessment confirming that a 6.45am start would harm his mental wellbeing.
Employment Judge Rhodri McDonald determined that Royal Mail had failed to make reasonable adjustments for Mr Williams’ disability, constituting discrimination.
The tribunal concluded the company should have permitted him to resume work in September 2023 starting at 5am, with a gradual transition to 6am.
Judge McDonald stated that Royal Mail possessed sophisticated systems capable of designing a shorter route for Mr Williams, allowing him to complete his duties in less time than colleagues.
The judge noted that while a full 5am start requiring redistribution of one hour and 45 minutes would be unreasonable, adjusting walks to accommodate a 6am beginning was achievable.
The tribunal recommended Royal Mail confirm Mr Williams’ current start time as 6am.
His separate harassment complaint was dismissed.