French woman with partial paralysis receives salary without working for 20 years, sues employer
- Woman claims she was ‘discarded employee’, was never given work assignments
A disabled French woman is suing telecom giant Orange, alleging workplace discrimination after she was paid for over 20 years without being assigned any job responsibilities.
Laurence Van Wassenhove was hired by France Telecom in 1993, a company later taken over by Orange.
Born with partial paralysis of the face and limbs, and suffering from epilepsy, Van Wassenhove was initially offered a suitable position as a secretary, and the company initially adapted to her medical conditions.
However, her troubles began after she requested a transfer to another region where the managers did not adapt Van Wassenhove’s work duties to fit her disabilities.
Her conditions remained unchanged despite her repeated requests to work remotely and her complaints to government and anti-discrimination authorities.
During this period, Van Wassenhove described herself as a “discarded employee”, isolated from actual work activities, with no assignments, office, or colleagues.