A lecturer from the University of Sydney is facing the sack after he was deemed “unfit to work” due his ongoing health conditions.
The University of Sydney is trying to move almost all classes on-campus after widespread online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Niko Tiliopoulos, who is a lecturer in Senior Psychology at the university, has severe respiratory and autoimmune conditions, and after visiting two doctors, including one from the university’s review panel, they told him there would be a big risk to his health, including death, if he returned to campus.
The Sydney Morning Herald said Tiliopoulos was told that if he does not resign he will be fired, despite offering the university an option to allow him to continue remote teaching or discuss an altered role.
After being an employee at the University of Sydney for 16 years, he said he was devastated by the University’s decision.
“It hurts being discriminated against; it deeply hurts,” he said. “When such discrimination emanates from an employer such as Sydney University, it does indeed feel like a betrayal; in fact, a familial betrayal.”
In response, a spokesperson from the Sydney University said: “We take our obligations to comply with relevant disability discrimination legislation very seriously – including by providing ‘reasonable adjustments’ to assist staff members with a disability to perform the inherent requirements of their role.”
“There are many cases across the university where these adjustments are in place, but employees are still required to perform the inherent requirements of their position,” they added.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald.
