Courts / Cork / Report
No relief for trucker sacked over relieving bowels in warehouse loading bay
Summary
In October 2023 the Workplace Relations Commission dismissed a disability discrimination claim brought by truck driver Edward Riordan against All‑Star Logistics Ltd. Riordan alleged that he was sacked after relieving his bowels in a warehouse loading bay due to an urgent diarrhoea episode linked to a peptic ulcer. The tribunal found insufficient evidence that the cramping and diarrhoea were caused by a peptic ulcer and that the stool discovered by a colleague was consistent with diarrhoea. Riordan admitted responsibility on CCTV and was dismissed for gross misconduct. The company also rejected an age discrimination claim, noting that any reduction in his hours had been agreed upon and that the final decision to assign him no shifts was related to the incident. The adjudicator concluded that the evidence did not establish a disability at the time of the loading‑bay event.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: No relief for trucker sacked over relieving bowels in warehouse loading bay. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- 2023-10-24 Publication
Why: The company's HR manager, Caroline Murphy, said it had to stop sending Mr Riordan on the delivery run because of how "serious" the defecation incident had been. CNI source report
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