EOC Accused Of Failing To Help In Disability Case

A sacked airport worker is accusing the Equal Opportunities Commission of failing to help him in his disability discrimination case after looking into it for three years.

Hong Kong-born Boota Singh and his supporters, who held a protest outside the EOC on Wednesday, say the case reflects fundamental problems with the equality watchdog's operations.

He had worked at the Hong Kong Airport Services for 17 years – the last 13 with an ankle injury he sustained at work.

He had joined as a Ramp Officer – a position that involves some manual and physical labour. But after his injury, he was assigned to an indoor position and later became a Service Control Supervisor, which was a desk job.

Singh says at the end of 2014, he was informed that his position would be terminated because he was unable to fulfil his duties. He then took his case to the EOC.

But after three years, the EOC, with the advice of an outside Senior Counsel, concluded that Singh's case was unlikely to succeed and said they would close the file.

Singh said he is disappointed and wants the watchdog to reveal the details of the counsel's advice.

Labour Party leader Lee Cheuk-yan, who joined Singh in the protest, said this unwillingness to help is similar to many of the complaints against the commission and its legal assistance unit.