do i have a discrimination case ?

jaysblades

hi, looking for advise.

i am on disability allowance following an accident a few years ago. looking for something to do, i decided to return to education. i found a coarse i like the look of in it carlow, i went to the open day and discussed my disability with a woman there, she assured me that the collage welcome everyone.
i got permission from the department, paid my fees 1,950 in full and was getting good grades.
so work placement comes, i explain to the lecturer my situation, and 24hrs later am called in, told that even if i find someone to give me placement, their insurance couldnt cover me.
so, i said, not good enought, they offered me a micky mouse certificate (this was an honours degree coarse) i said no thanks, can i have a refund ? was basically told no, it was my fault for not disclosing my info at the start. very vexing. maybe not the right placce to post. i dunno.

Little CuChulainn

Sounds like something worth bringing to a solicitor

MrWalsh

Could you just clarify the bit about the work placement - whose insurance wouldnt cover you - the colleges?

Was it a private college? Do they have any kind of brochure or information on their website stating that they cannot cater for disabled students?

And were they offering you a certificate rather than allowing you to finish the degree (I presume this was because work placement made up some required part of the degree?).

How many years of the degree had you completed? Why was this not brought up at your original interview? What do they mean that you did not disclose your info at the start?

I certainly think you should talk to a solicitor alright.

BeachView

I do not understand what you did not disclose at the start. You say " i went to the open day and discussed my disability with a woman there,"

and "was basically told no, it was my fault for not disclosing my info at the start. ". could you clarify please.And what is a micky mouse certificate? Is it worth less than you would have got had you gone to work placement?

jaysblades

hi yes basically they made up the certificate, it didnt exist as an option for anyone, and it doesnt exist now. it was just invented after a meeting they had about me.

i dont understand either. they said i didnt disclose my disability, but i was with my wife at the open day, and i told the woman there everything.

this was year 1 of a 4 year degree.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Did you have an official entrance interview at any point? If so did you discoose your disability at this time. I don't think discussions at an open day would really be worth relying on.

El_Duderino 09

Hey. Any course I've applied for has a declarations section which asks about any disabilities. Did you fill out a form like that when you applied or is it possible that you ticked the wrong box by accident?

jaysblades

i had a form that stated i could do placement, i discussed this with my doctors who signed me off for it, as long as it was under 19hrs a week, which would have been ok for the coarse. then come placement time, the lecturer in charge of placement has a **** fit, gives out that i sighned the for, which i agree, doctor agrees as well. she says, actually no, our (college) insurance wont allow it.

El_Duderino 09

Right. So was there no obligation to disclose any disabilities at the application stage? You just needed to declare that you could take part in placements. Sounds strange to me but I don't have that much experience of applications.

MrWalsh

Is this a hidden disability that the lecturer would not have been aware of prior to filling out the paperwork for the work placement?

Do you have the name of the woman you spoke to on the open day?

When you actually applied to do the course itself (not the work placement) was there no section on the form where you were asked to disclose a disability?

FreudianSlippers

No legal advice as per charter.