The lawyer argued that the company failed to provide Wassenhove an accommodation, considering her disability which forced her to states of professional limbo.
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In a strange legal case, a French woman has sued a telecommunication company, Orange, for paying her full compensation without assigning her any work for over 20 years.
As per a report by The Times Of India, The woman, Laurence Van Wassenhove, alleged that the company where she was an employee, 'shelved' her after she requested a transfer in 2002 due to her disability. She was reportedly hired by Orange's predecessor, France Telecom, in 1993.
Wassenhove is partially paralysed and has epilepsy. Before the transfer, Wassenhove used to hold roles according to her suitability like secretary and working in human resources.
As per her lawyer, her transfer was approved but the new place was not adapted for her needs, instead offering her alternatives, reportedly, Orange stopped giving her any work or tasks.
The lawyer argued that the company failed to provide Wassenhove an accommodation, considering her disability which forced her to states of professional limbo.
While the company has denied any discrimination and claimed to consider Wassenhove's medical condition and explored options for her to return to work in an adapted position. The company also said that her regular sick leaves made them difficult to act upon this.
On the other hand, Wassenhove kept accepting the compensation for two decades and claimed she faced "moral harassment" due to the situation the company allegedly put her into and that being paid without any work tasks isolated her.