A woman is suing a major phone company after she was paid to do nothing for 20 years.
While some people probably relish the idea of being paid to do nothing (some even winning awards), this was a living nightmare for one woman.
Laurence Van Wassenhove is suing Orange, one of Europe's largest telecommunications companies, after allegedly being 'forced' into complete workplace inactivity for over two decades despite receiving her full salary.
The 59-year-old is suing the company for discrimination, claiming she was left in a role with no tasks, no responsibilities, and no human contact for more than 20 years. The situation positioned her into 'forced inactivity; that made her 'invisible' in the workplace, she described.
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Van Wassenhove joined the company in 1993, when it was still known as France Télécom.
After developing epilepsy and hemiplegia, a condition causing paralysis on one side of the body, she could no longer perform her original duties. In response, Orange made reasonable adjustments by reassigning her to a secretarial role, utilising her training as an HR assistant.
However, this accommodation soon led to what she describes as professional limbo.
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In 2002, Van Wassenhove requested a transfer to another region of France. An occupational health assessment determined she was unfit for the proposed position, and the company placed her on standby instead.
The years that followed made Van Wassenhove feel like an ‘outcast secretary’ which had an impact on her mental health, she told French outlet FTV.
While caring for her autistic child, the mother said her salary did not save her from facing eviction notices and she struggled to make ends meet.
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“I was paid, yes, but I was treated like I didn’t exist,” she told Mediapart.
After filing a complaint with the government and the High Authority for the Fight against Discrimination in 2015, Van Wassenhove claims that little improvement has been made.
The company continued to cycle her between standby status, sick leave, and eventually presented early retirement as an option due to her disability. As a result of her long-term professional inactivity, Van Wassenhove said she suffered from severe depression.
"Being paid, at home, not working is not a privilege. It's very hard to bear," she admitted.
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David Nabet-Martin, Van Wassenhove's lawyer, argues that prolonged isolation has caused lasting mental health issues, claiming the company deprived her of 'having a place in society' as a disabled person.
Meanwhile, Orange told French outlet La Dépêche that it had considered Van Wassenhove's 'personal social situation' and ensured she was kept in the best possible conditions while away from active duties.
The telecoms giant also claimed she had been considered for a return to work in a new role, though this never came to fruition due to Van Wassenhove taking regular sick leave.