A French woman received a salary for nothing for 20 years and sued her employer (3 photos)

The woman had been employed by Orange Mobile for 20 years and was regularly paid. However, Laurence Van Wassenhove claims that she had no job responsibilities during all these years, so she filed a lawsuit against her employer for harassment and discrimination.





Who hasn't dreamed of getting paid for doing nothing? But a resident of France wouldn't wish that on her worst enemy. According to Laurence Van Wassenhove, it's not easy to bear. She told FTV that she can't stay out of work for long, although the company claims that the employee was given the position based on her health.

Lawrence is a recruiter by trade. The mother of two suffers from epilepsy and hemiplegia, which is a paralysis that affects only one side of the body. She first worked as a secretary at France Telecom, but in 2002 the company was acquired by Orange. After a medical examination, it turned out that the woman was not suitable for the job. According to Lawrence, she felt like an outcast. First she was made to wait, then sent on sick leave, and then offered to retire due to her disability.

The employee was paid a salary, although she did not complete a single task. The woman is sure that she was forced to quit.



"It's not a privilege to be on payroll and sit at home and not work. It's hard to bear," she said.

Lawyer David Nabet-Martin says his client's long isolation has left her with mental health issues, including depression. She has been denied a "place in society" as a person with a disability.



In a statement to the French newspaper La Dépêche, mobile phone company Orange said it had given Van Wassenhove special consideration given her personal situation. She was given a new position, but she did not return because she regularly took sick leave.