A former Mars UK employee who said he was too ill to drive to work went on a fly-drive holiday to Florida and a “booze run” to France, an employment tribunal heard yesterday.
Ed Wilson, who is claiming disability discrimination after he was sacked for gross misconduct, was caught on video making a round trip to Calais, despite having been on sick pay for more than a year. He was already on a warning for taking a driving holiday to Florida.
Wilson had told his managers he could not drive the five miles to work and that he panicked in confined spaces.
Heather Wood, occupational health manager at Mars UK, told the Norwich employment tribunal: “The fact he told me he was unable to drive long distances and was panicky in confined spaces is inconsistent with driving to Calais.”
He began claiming sick pay because of an elbow injury. Later he said he was suffering from anxiety and depression.
Shaen Catherwood, for Wilson, cited a report from a specialist stating that he was probably not putting the illness on.
The hearing continues.
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