A hair stylist from Greater Manchester who won her case for unfair dismissal is speaking out after she struggled to return to work following her brain tumour diagnosis.

Grace Geoghegan, 28, had been employed by a hair salon in Stockport since 2017 and worked her way up to having some regular clients.

Following a shock brain tumour diagnosis in October 2022, Grace was signed off work and prescribed medication to control her seizures.

In November, she contacted her employer to explain that she expected to return to work on a phased basis while she awaited surgery, which was scheduled for March 2023. She had not had a seizure for six weeks at that point.

But following a scan, her doctor signed her off work until after Christmas and Grace explained this to her employer. In January and February Grace had meetings with her manager, presented a doctor’s Fit Note and discussed returning to work on reduced hours for two days a week. But her manager said Grace would need to wait while she took advice from HR specialists.

Evidence presented to an employment tribunal in Manchester included texts from her manager stating: “I have your best interests at heart and want to make this return to work as easy and comfortable as possible.” and “This is to allow the advisors time to assess, as yours and our clients’ health and safety is paramount... I get that your [sic] probably frustrated with the situation, but my hands are tied and I have to follow procedures.”

Grace was later told that she might not be able to work with her previous clients and she was asked to provide a letter specifying that she would be safe to stand for long periods, and work with scissors, clippers and chemicals.

Grace said: “I felt like I was being a burden to the business and my manager and that every time I tried to go back to work, they kept putting barriers in place. I think the reason behind this was that I simply wasn’t going to make my employer any money over the Christmas period. I was also an inconvenience as I was going to go back on sick leave again for my brain tumour operation. They blamed everything on HR or health and safety advice and wouldn’t accept my GP’s fit for work return.”

Grace lodged a grievance but when this was unsuccessful, she appealed. When this, too, was dismissed, Grace felt she had no choice but to resign in May 2023. Meanwhile, her surgery had been postponed several times because of the junior doctors’ strike.

Grace sought advice from family, ACAS and The Brain Tumour Charity - which has a partnership with Citizens Advice - then decided to take things further. Representing herself at an employment tribunal earlier this year, Grace won her case for discrimination due to her disability and unfair dismissal.

She told the hearing that her condition had stabilised with medication, and she had been declared fit to work but when this wasn’t accepted it caused a great deal of stress in addition to that caused by her diagnosis.

The hearing ruled that her employer should compensate her for the earnings she would have received had she been allowed back to work when she first requested this, as well as for injury to feelings and interest on her financial losses.

Part of the judgement read: “The respondent might have been better able to explain the approach that they took had they educated themselves about the claimant’s condition. They did not do so. They could have prepared for, and considered, the claimant’s return to work at an earlier stage, prior to immediately before the expiry of the claimant’s previous fit note. They did not obtain occupational health advice about what was required, as they could have done.”

Grace is now speaking out to support others with hidden disabilities and said: “The tribunal was scary as I’ve never been in a situation like that before. It was also very upsetting as I thought my work colleagues were my friends, but I saw them in a completely different light following my diagnosis."

Grace added: “I knew what they were doing was wrong but representing myself was daunting. The judge and the panel were very understanding and spoke in terms I would understand as I'm not a lawyer. It was intense and upsetting but I'm so glad I did it and got the justice I deserved. Alongside that I wanted to become an advocate for anyone with hidden disabilities because we have rights and cannot be treated this way.”

Thinking back to the day Grace was diagnosed, her mum Carmel, a former neurosurgical nurse who gave evidence to the tribunal, said: “I was on a girls’ night out in Leeds when I had a call from Grace’s partner saying that she wasn’t well.

“He was really worried and explained that she’d had some kind of episode in the night. He’d seen that her lips were blue so had carried out first aid resuscitation while he waited for the ambulance to arrive.

“We now know that she’d had a tonic clinic seizure, and that she had been having nocturnal seizures for some time. I took a taxi to the hospital and when a consultant and a nurse came to talk to us about the scan results, I knew from my nursing days that things were serious.

“Grace was signed off work and diagnosed with epilepsy and a left frontal operculum brain tumour. It was the irritation of the mass that was causing her seizures.”

Grace had successful surgery in October 2023 but experienced intense migraines during her recovery. She has since got married and got a new job, saying: “My new colleagues have been very welcoming and understanding of my condition.”

For more information about brain tumours and employment rights, visit: https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/living-with-a-brain-tumour/maintaining-your-independence/employment-and-brain-tumours/employment-rights

~ ends ~

Notes to editors

The full judgement can be found online here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66756bf03f6733e8c9166705/Miss_G_Geoghegan_v_Ash_Heaton_Moor_Ltd_-_2405797_2023_-_Judgment.pdf

Photos of Grace in hospital, working & from her wedding available.

For more information, contact pressoffice@thebraintumourcharity.org

About The Brain Tumour Charity

Every day in the UK, 34 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour, yet changes in survival rates have barely improved compared with other cancers, investment in research is low and diagnosis is still taking much too long.

The Brain Tumour Charity funds an extensive, diverse portfolio of research across the UK and internationally to improve understanding of the complexities of brain tumours, find better diagnostic techniques, identify new treatments and improve quality of life.

It also campaigns for faster, better diagnosis and offers comprehensive support services including a helpline, Money and Benefits Advice Clinic, Information Standard accredited fact sheets, online peer-to-peer support and dedicated services for families and young people.

The Charity is a member of the Ass. of Medical Research Charities, The Information Standard, The Helplines Partnership and the Fundraising Standards Board - Registered Charity in England and Wales (1150054) and Scotland (SC045081)

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