Dismissal due to blood pressure is unlawful

Employers should always carefully vet any proposal to dismiss an employee because of an impairment. The Federal Court has found an employer unlawfully discriminated when it dismissed an employee with high blood pressure.

Tests of the new employee revealed blood pressure of around 200/110.

The employer claimed it was an inherent requirement of the role that the employee be able to drive a car extensively and enabling the employee to do this would impose unjustifiable hardship on it.