Toilet scandal in Britain: how a woman won more than £18,000

British company Pets at Home will pay a former employee £18,277 in compensation after a court found discrimination and negligence by the employer. The woman, who suffers from chronic back pain and urinary incontinence, was denied access to a ground-floor toilet for five months, causing her severe psychological trauma.

British company Pets at Home has found itself at the center of a legal scandal after former employee Michaela Bonchog won a discrimination and negligence case. The Cambridge Employment Tribunal ordered the employer to pay the woman £18,277 in compensation for creating intolerable working conditions. The story began in February 2021 when Bonchog injured her back at work while lifting a heavy box. Doctors later diagnosed her with chronic lower back pain, and in August 2023, a herniated disc. The situation was compounded by urinary incontinence issues. In October 2023, experts conducted a workplace assessment and recommended providing the woman with an ergonomic chair and ensuring the fastest possible access to a toilet. However, the company did nothing. The employee did not receive a new chair, and she was not informed about the possibility of using the ground-floor toilet—management did not issue an electronic key fob for access. For nearly five months, Bonchog was forced to climb stairs, fearing urinary incontinence in front of colleagues. Judge Booth concluded that the employer completely failed in its duty to provide reasonable accommodations for a disabled employee. Actual information about toilet access was only provided to the woman in May 2024.