Courts / Ireland / Report

Google security guard who 'just had eyes closed for long duration' loses unfair dismissal claim

Summary

A security guard at Google's European headquarters, Donatus Okafor, denied that he was sleeping on duty and claimed he simply had his eyes closed for a long period. He argued that he had missed a phone call because the volume was low and that he was under personal stress after his father's death, taking anti‑depressant medication he said had made him dizzy. Okafor said he had been working long, varied shifts to save money for a return to Nigeria for the funeral. The employer, Synergy Security Solutions, said a supervisor found him asleep, leading to a disciplinary process and his dismissal on 16 June 2022. The Workplace Relations Commission found no significant defect in the disciplinary process and ruled Okafor's unfair dismissal claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 to be not well founded.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Google security guard who 'just had eyes closed for long duration' loses unfair dismissal claim. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• 4 April Other
• 16 June 2022 Other
• 2023-05-08 Publication

Why: Donatus Okafor told the Workplace Relations Commission he "was not sleeping" when his supervisor arrived, and that he had only missed a phone call because the volume on his device was turned down. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Read the original CNI report