Lithuanian company refused to hire woman after learning of her disability status

A Lithuanian employer discriminated against a job applicant with a disability by withdrawing a job offer after she provided additional health information, the country’s Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson’s Office has ruled.

The woman had applied for a position as an electronics assembler at UAB Esemda and was initially invited to start work, according to the office’s statement. However, after submitting a disability assessment from the Agency for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (ANTA), which noted potential health risks from repetitive tasks, the company reversed its decision.

The employer claimed the restrictions outlined in the ANTA report were incompatible with the assembly role. But Audronė Daukšaitė-Timpė, head of the ombudsperson’s legal division, clarified that such assessments are advisory—employers must rely on mandatory medical certificates issued by doctors. The company’s decision violated equal treatment and non-discrimination laws, the office found.

This marks the second case in which the ombudsperson’s office has identified disability-based discrimination after employers misinterpreted medical documentation. A similar warning was issued to the state road maintenance company Kelių priežiūra for unjustly restricting a roadworker’s duties.

The office reminded employers that evaluations of employees’ health-related work capacity must comply with occupational safety laws, the Labour Code, and the Equal Opportunities Act.