The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has today (22 September 2006) issued legal proceedings under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance (DDO), Cap. 487 in the District Court on behalf of two Plaintiffs in two separate cases. Both Plaintiffs alleged that their former employers discriminated against them by dismissing them on the ground of their disability. In one case, the Plaintiff who suffered from carcinoma of the sigmoid colon was dismissed when he was ready to resume duty, after recovering from his illness. In the other case, the Plaintiff, who suffered from right wrist injury, was dismissed by his employer on the day he resumed work.

The EOC has granted legal assistance in these two cases because they are capable of showing that disability discrimination may arise from dismissal of employees when they resume duty after recovering from illnesses or injuries. By taking these cases to Court, the EOC aims to establish precedent regarding employers' obligations to provide reasonable accommodation to employees with disabilities, upon their returning to work from their legitimate sick leave.

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