Sighing in frustration at a co-worker can now be classed as harassment, a judge has ruled in a landmark employment tribunal.
Robert Watson broke down in tears after his manager repeatedly sighed and made 'exaggerated exhales', which the tribunal ruled amounted to disability discrimination.
The tribunal, held in Southampton heard that Mr Watson worked for Roke Manor Research, the company behind Hawk-Eye, the cutting-edge ball tracking system used at Wimbledon, in international cricket and top-level football.
He joined the firm in August 2020 as a software engineer, but struggled with poor timekeeping, difficulty focusing and distraction - symptoms later linked to his ADHD, which wasn't diagnosed until November 2022.
After returning from four days off sick following his diagnosis, Mr Watson was confronted by a project leader, referred to only as DT due to national security concerns around the firm's defence projects.
