Courts / Ireland / Report
Driver unfairly sacked after false racial slur allegation
2023-02-08
Charge Or Pretrial
Summary
In February 2023, the Workplace Relations Commission ruled that Blue Line Coaches Ltd, trading as Nolan Coaches, had unfairly dismissed bus driver Martin Cormican after falsely accusing him of using a racial slur. The company's statements, produced in 2022, alleged that Cormican had called a passenger a "fat Chinese c***" on 13 September 2020 and that he admitted the remark at a meeting the next day. Cormican denied the allegation, claiming he had misread his work docket and missed passengers due to a route change. The tribunal found the slur claim to be false and unsubstantiated, rejected the company's claim of gross misconduct, and awarded Cormican €8,928 in compensation, including €1,200 for lost earnings and €7,728 for loss of accrued service. The decision highlighted that the statements were likely prepared in 2022, not 2020, and were used to add documentary ballast. The case was heard in May and June 2022.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Driver unfairly sacked after false racial slur allegation. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial
When:
- 13 September 2020 Other
- 13th September Other
- 14 September 2022 Other
- June 2022 Other
- 2023-02-08 Publication
Case subjects
Applicant
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