Discriminated against due to disability during recruitment process

[fedupandtired]

If you thought with absolute certainty that you'd been discriminated against because of a known disability during the recruitment process what, if anything, can you do about it.

I applied for a job in a company I used to work for, doing the same job just different location (I was previously made redundant). I didn't even get an interview. I suspect I was discounted because of my previous sick record (due to my disability).

Is there anything I can do about it? I desperately wanted the job and it feels like a real kick in the teeth.

First thing would be to check any policies around recruiting ex-employees, especially if you were made redundant.

I think this would be VERY hard to prove unless either you have inside info about the other candidates' applications, or it's such a specialised job that you know that there aren't many people out there capable of doing it. It might be easier to prove that you were made redundant because of your sick record.

They've re-employed people in the past and when I initially applied for the job, through the recruitment arm of the company, it wasn't mentioned as an issue.

I asked for feedback and they said the person they've appointed has experience of their new systems. I've checked the job description and job spec. There's no mention of this new system and even if that were the case would that one thing really be more important than my five years experience in the industry? (I'll answer that as no).

It's not that specialised in that anyone could do it with the right training but it would be very unusual to get two people with the exact relevant experience applying for the same job.

The redundancy had nothing to do with my sick record. Of that I'm absolutely certain.

Do you know how much experience in the industry the appointed person has?

I don't know anything about them. I'm guessing none seeing as the reason they gave me was only that they had experience with their new system. I don't want to give too much info out but certainly when I worked for them experience within the industry was more important than anything.

Well if you think you have a good case, contact a law firm that specialises in discrimination cases. You can usually speak to someone on the phone or have half an hour with them for free.

I think I will do, thanks.

I think I will do, thanks.