Antidiscriminatory practice in Norway

Blind teacher worked in a one-year temporary post as high school teacher in
2000/2002. However, both in 2004 and 2005 she was refused employment as music
teacher at the same high school. In 2005 it concerned a permanent post and she felt
that she was refused employment because of her disability. According to her
lawyer external expertise regard her as definitively the best qualified candidate for the job. She also got high marks for her temporary work at the school. This is the more serious because it is a public body that refuses her, which has previously signed an agreement on inclusive employment with the Government.

The Norwegian Blind Union is assisting the plaintiff and comments that this is a good example of how blind and visually impaired people are discriminated in society. Only

30 % of visually impaired people from 16-67 years of age are employed in pay jobs of more than 20 hours a week in Norway. In addition a survey made by the Norwegian National Centre for Documentation on Disability has shown that only one in ten employers would probably invite a highly qualified blind person with a guide dog for a
job interview.

The barrister-at-law of the accused, the County of Oppland, comments that this is not a case of discrimination but of the personal appropriateness of the plaintiff, her blindness notwithstanding.

She demands 6,25 million Norwegian Kroner in compensation. The Norwegian Centre for Documentation on Disability will soon report about the final judgement of the court of this case.