Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Case lawDisability discrimination

Employee with dyslexia wins case against Starbucks

by Jo Faragher 9 Feb 2016
by Jo Faragher 9 Feb 2016 Steve Meddle/REX Shutterstock
Steve Meddle/REX Shutterstock

A Starbucks employee has won a disability discrimination case against the coffee giant, after problems arising from her dyslexia led her to make mistakes.

The employment tribunal found that Meseret Kumulchew had been discriminated against and accused of falsifying documents.

Dyslexia: legal resources

Is dyslexia a disability under the Equality Act 2010?

Disability discrimination and dyslexia employment tribunal decisions

Line manager briefing: disability discrimination

Podcast: meaning of disability

She worked as a supervisor at a Starbucks branch in Clapham, south London, where she was required to enter a record of refrigerator and water temperatures at specific times on a duty roster.

After recording incorrect information her employer accused her of falsifying documents. Her dyslexia meant she had difficulties with reading, writing, and telling the time.

She had been given lesser duties and told to retrain, which left her feeling suicidal, the tribunal heard.

The judgment against Starbucks will be followed by a separate hearing to determine compensation levels.

Kumulchew, who had always made it known to her employer that she was dyslexic, told BBC News: “There was a point that I wanted to commit suicide. I am not a fraud.

“The name fraud itself shouldn’t exist for me. It’s quite serious. I nearly ended my life. But I had to think of my kids. I know I’m not a fraud. I just made a mistake.”

The tribunal found Starbucks had failed to make reasonable adjustments for her disability and had discriminated against her because of the effects of her dyslexia. It also found she had been victimised by her employer and there appeared to be little or no knowledge or understanding of equality issues.

Starbucks responded to a judgement in a statement: “We are in ongoing discussions with this Starbucks partner around specific workplace support and we are not able to comment on a case that has not yet been completed.”

It added that it was committed to having a “diverse and inclusive workforce” that “feel welcome and comfortable in our stores”.

Dr Kate Saunders, chief executive of the British Dyslexia Association, said cases such as Ms Kumulchew’s should be a “wake-up call” for employers. It estimates that as many as one in 10 people have dyslexia, although many have not been formally diagnosed.

Kumulchew added: “I’m not going to affect your business, because for every customer I’ll roll out the red carpet. I love my job. Giving them a coffee may not be a big deal, but I’m making their life, for the day at least, happy.”

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Beverley Sunderland, managing director of Crossland Employment Solicitors said: “This case emphasises how important it is for employers to try and understand the effects that an employee’s disability has on that particular employee and whether the employer can take any reasonable steps to ensure the employee is not disadvantaged in the workplace.

“There are plenty of free resources available to employers which are disability specific and run by those with real expertise, in this case, the British Dyslexia Association.”

Jo Faragher

Jo Faragher has been an employment and business journalist for 20 years. She regularly contributes to Personnel Today and writes features for a number of national business and membership magazines. Jo is also the author of 'Good Work, Great Technology', published in 2022 by Clink Street Publishing, charting the relationship between effective workplace technology and productive and happy employees. She won the Willis Towers Watson HR journalist of the year award in 2015 and has been highly commended twice.

previous post
Why you shouldn’t be too nice to your new hires
next post
Councils free to change Sunday trading laws from the autumn

You may also like

Consultation launched after Supreme Court ‘sex’ ruling

20 May 2025

Union rep teacher awarded £370k for unfair dismissal

15 May 2025

EHRC bows to pressure and extends gender consultation

15 May 2025

NHS worker awarded £29k after Darth Vader comparison

8 May 2025

‘Unacceptable to question integrity’ of Supreme Court judgment

2 May 2025

Trans ex-judge to appeal Supreme Court biological sex...

29 Apr 2025

EHRC: Interim update on single-sex spaces draws criticism

28 Apr 2025

Opposition to Supreme Court sex ruling is ‘wishful...

22 Apr 2025

Supreme Court transgender ruling: ‘common sense’ or ‘incredibly...

17 Apr 2025

Supreme Court: legal definition of woman based on...

16 Apr 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+