Courts / Ireland / Report
Dental firm who pulled out of Ireland must pay €55k to dismissed manager
2022-11-07
Hearing Or Decision
Summary
In a decision published on 7 November 2022, the Workplace Relations Commission upheld a claim of unfair dismissal under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 brought by former Irish sales manager Orla Sheehy against Megagen Implants UK Ltd. Sheehy, who had been a successful territory manager for Ireland and Scotland since 2017, was made redundant in March 2020 during the Covid‑19 pandemic. She claimed the redundancy was a pre‑ordained business decision, that the role had been "removed" from the organisation, and that the company offered no alternative work or reduced hours. Her barrister, Cathy McGrady BL, argued that the redundancy consultation was rushed, scripted and selective, and that the company's revenue figures were unrealistic. The adjudicating officer, Michael McEntee, found the employer had not met the burden of proof for redundancy and ordered the company to pay Sheehy €55,000 in loss of earnings, after deducting a statutory redundancy payment already received.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Dental firm who pulled out of Ireland must pay €55k to dismissed manager. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- March 2020 Other
- 2022-11-07 Publication
Why: The firm told her redundancy was "impossible to avoid" because of a loss of revenue and the absence of "other work opportunities". CNI source report
Case subjects
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