An employment tribunal has ruled that preventing a disabled employee working from home from joining video meetings with their camera switched off amounted to disability discrimination. The case highlights how rigid workplace policies around video conferencing can disadvantage staff with health conditions that affect their appearance, anxiety levels or need for privacy, and adds to a growing body of tribunal rulings shaping how employers must accommodate remote and hybrid working arrangements. The decision serves as a warning to employers that blanket "cameras on" rules may breach equality law obligations.

The tribunal found that the employer's insistence on cameras being on during virtual meetings failed to take into account the employee's disability, which the article indicates was a factor in their reasonable objection to being filmed. Employers are legally required under the Equality Act to make reasonable adjustments for disabled staff, and this ruling suggests that flexibility around camera use during video calls can fall within that duty. The case is likely to prompt organisations with hybrid or remote working policies to review how they handle video meeting requirements for employees with disabilities.