An employee of International Business Machines (IBM), who has been on a sick leave since 2008, sued the company for not increasing his salary like regular employees.
The Telegraph reported that Ian Clifford, a 50-year-old IT technician, took a break from work in 2008 due to mental health related issues. He was later diagnosed with stage four leukaemia in 2012.
He was working for the company on an annual salary of £72,037 (roughly Rs 73.9 lakh) but that changed after he came under the coverage of company’s health plan.
According to an IBM health plan, Clifford is entitled to receive £54,000 (Around Rs 55 lakh) per year until the age of 65.
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However, he filed a disability discrimination plea in a court last year against the company, alleging that his salary has not been reviewed since 2013.
The judge dismissed his petition, observing that he had received a “very substantial benefit” and “favourable treatment”. He has challenged the ruling.
Clifford disclosed to The Telegraph that he had sought a 2.5% increase in his salary between 2013 and 2022. He also wants the firm to clarify whether it conducted a formal salary review.
Clifford and his lawyers had made two separate offers to settle the matter before the hearing in the lawsuit, the report stated.
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“My life is being curtailed, the chances of me living to 65 is highly unlikely,” Clifford told The Telegraph. He added, “People will still think it's greedy but at the end of the day, yes it's unfortunate, but that was a benefit I got with the job.”
