Job Application By Phone – A Reasonable Adjustment?

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) judgment in AECOM v Mr Mallon demonstrates the importance of employers considering all options for reasonable adjustments, including for job applicants. In this recent judgment, an individual was awarded £2,700 for an employer not telephoning him to understand why he was struggling to complete an online job application.

Case facts

In this case, a job applicant who had been previously diagnosed with dyspraxia (a condition that affects movement and co-ordination) applied for a role with AECOM ("the Company"). The application for the position involved creating an online profile – requiring applicants to input their email address and password (consisting of eight digits including a special character). Once the online profile had been created, applicants would then complete an online application form for the job role.