S2Ep4:Behind the Legal Curtain: Challenges in Disability Discrimination Claims

In this episode, Dr Lauren Siegel and Dr Rami Shamseen are joined by Dr Laura William, an Associate Professor of Employment Relations and Equality. They discuss the employment challenges faced by disabled individuals, exploring why disabled people are more likely to be made redundant and how they struggle to re-enter the labor market. Dr William shares her personal and research experiences, highlighting the substantial employment gaps and legal barriers, including the 'medical model' of disability and the lack of legal representation in employment tribunals. The discussion also touches upon Dr William’s book, 'Claiming Disability Discrimination: Assessing Barriers to Justice,' and her groundbreaking database that maps out patterns in employment tribunal judgments. The episode concludes with insights into Dr William’s future research on intersectional discrimination.00:51 Dr Laura William's Journey into Socio-Legal Studies02:12 Evolution of Disability Law02:56 Employment Gaps and Discrimination04:14 Barriers to Justice for Disabled People10:49 Challenges in Proving Disability18:12 Mental vs. Physical Disabilities in Employment20:44 Importance of Disclosing Disabilities25:23 Creating a Disability Discrimination Database26:14 Future Research DirectionsRead Laura's new book: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-74387-0