London Underground worker 'sacked for having epilepsy,' says MP

The case was described as 'shocking' and 'extraordinary' in the Commons

(REUTERS/Luke Macgregor )

A Tube worker was dismissed from her job because she has epilepsy, despite claims that it had “absolutely no impact on her ability to perform her role”.

Karen Guynott, 29, worked as a Customer Services Assistant in stations on the Jubilee line and was diagnosed with epilepsy five years ago. She lost her job on Tuesday.

London Underground terminated her contract even though she was able to work, as they deemed her condition “too risky for them to be able to manage,” Labour MP Kate Hoey told the BBC.

Adjustments were made to her role, including restrictions from working on live tracks and in machine chambers, however her job to assist customers with travel plans and ticket purchases required her to be nowhere near them.

An epileptic episode nearly saw her wander towards an escalator in a disorientated state last month before a colleague helped her. She was dismissed after the incident due to safety fears.

Nigel Holness, London Underground’s Operations Director for the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines, said: “We will always seek to accommodate adjustments that have been recommended by Occupational Health wherever possible.

“As we do that, we need to balance our duty and wish to accommodate staff, with a responsibility for their safety and those of our customers.”

He added that they could not comment on individual cases.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union branded it “an absolute disgrace” and say that London Underground used information on a medical questionnaire to dismiss her although failure to disclose all relevant information could result in gross misconduct.

London Underground has a policy to assist employees into different roles if they develop illnesses during their career with the transport body, however they decided to get rid of her instead, said Ms Hoey.

MP Kate Hoey brought the case up in the House of Commons (AFP/GETTY)

The Vauxhall MP said during a Commons debate yesterday about epilepsy that RMT fended off initial attempts by London Underground to dismiss Ms Guynott after she was found to have the condition.

Ms Hoey asked South Thanet MP Laura Sandys – who has mild epilepsy – if she thought it to be “shocking that in this day and age a very large public body like Transport for London could sack a young woman for the fact that she has epilepsy?”

It was an “extraordinary” case as epilepsy had absolutely no impact on [Ms Guynott’s] ability to perform her role, Ms Sandys said.

Ms Guynott is also an active trade union campaigner and London Underground is using epilepsy as “an excuse” to get rid of her as “it does not like her or some of the things she says,” Ms Hoey added.

She called on health minister Norman Lamb to review the case.

There are around 16 are London Underground operational staff who have epilepsy and there are another 11 with the condition working for Transport for London.