Throughout his working life, Williams started his workday at 5 a.m., which helped him avoid crowds and reduce his daily anxiety. Ultimately, the court ruled that Royal Mail must compensate Williams for the psychological distress caused by preventing him from starting work at his usual time, emphasizing the importance of making reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities to ensure a fair and supportive work environment. Darren Williams, a postman from Eccles in Greater Manchester, received £13,000 in compensation from Royal Mail after being prevented from starting work at 5 a.m., the time he had been accustomed to for decades and which helped him manage his anxiety and care for his sick wife. Williams was on sick leave from November 2022 to February 2023. Upon his return, he was asked to start work later, between 6:45 and 7:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, on a different delivery route. The judge noted that Royal Mail could have reviewed delivery rounds to reduce overtime, which would have allowed Williams to start at 6 a.m. and get home early to care for his wife without significantly impacting operations, according to the British newspaper 'Daily Mail'. The judge confirmed that Royal Mail was obligated to consider adjusting work hours to mitigate the psychological impact on Williams. However, it rejected this change, insisting that starting at his usual time was essential for his mental well-being after he was diagnosed with autism and mental health issues in 2022. Judge Roddy McDonald explained that Royal Mail failed to make 'reasonable adjustments' to accommodate Williams' disability, which constitutes a form of disability discrimination.
