Sigh Crimes and Misdemeanours

Sighing at a colleague in frustration could be discriminatory, tribunal rules.

UK software engineer successfully sues employer for disability discrimination after complaining about manager’s sighing.

Sighing at a colleague at work in frustration could breach equality laws, an employment tribunal has ruled. Nonverbal expressions of disappointment or irritation could amount to discrimination, a judge said.

The ruling came in the case of a UK software engineer with ADHD who successfully sued a tech company for disability discrimination after complaining about his manager’s sighing and exaggerated exhales.

Robert Watson is now in line for compensation from Roke Manor Research, the inventors of the Hawk-Eye ball tracking system used at Wimbledon, in international cricket and in football.

The hearing in Southampton was told Watson started working for the company, based in Romsey, Hampshire, as a software engineer in August 2020.