Courts / Kildare / Report
Country music star secretly recorded during employment row
Summary
In a dispute over employment status, fiddler Matt McGranaghan claims he secretly recorded conversations with country singer Michael English during meetings in 2019 and 2021. McGranaghan alleges that English told him he was being dismissed and that the band's manager wanted him gone. He says he was later declared an employee by the Department of Social Protection in 2020, a decision later overturned by the Social Welfare Appeals Office. McGranaghan has brought an unfair dismissal claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 against MEPC Music Ireland Ltd, which denied the claim. During the Workplace Relations Commission hearing, McGranaghan presented excerpts from his recordings, despite objections from the company's lawyer. The tribunal allowed the excerpts to be used as evidence, noting that no party was permitted to record the hearing itself. The case remains at the unfair dismissal stage.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Country music star secretly recorded during employment row. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- February 2019 Other
- September 2021 Other
- 22 May 2019 Other
- May 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2020 Other
- 26 August 2021 Other
- 2023-02-02 Publication
Why: He said he refused to meet alone with Mr English and Mr Claffey at this time because the Scope decision was under review. CNI source report
Places mentioned
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