The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has today (5 February 2004) issued legal proceedings under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance, Cap. 487 in the District Court on behalf of a woman who was suffering from Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and was dismissed by her employer because of her sickness and sick leave for treatment of her disease.

The EOC has granted legal assistance in this case on the basis that this type of disability discrimination is prevalent in Hong Kong. It is not uncommon for employees who have health problems and who are required to take prolonged sick leave for treatment to be discriminated against by their employers. By taking this case to court, the EOC hopes to raise public awareness as to the need to protect such employees, and to let employers know that such conduct may be unlawful.