Courts / Down / Report

'Entirely blameless' employee ousted in old folks Covid 'mutiny' gets €10k

Summary

Cathy Moore, superintendent at the Charles Sheils housing complex for older people in Killough, Co Down, was dismissed in September 2021 after a wave of complaints from residents who opposed Covid‑19 lockdown measures she enforced. An independent investigator found no basis for the complaints, yet the charity's governors re‑opened an investigation and terminated her employment, a process the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) described as flawed and contrary to natural justice. The WRC held that Moore was "entirely blameless" and awarded her €10,000 compensation under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. The tribunal noted that the dismissal was akin to a mutiny, with residents resisting her authority and the charity yielding to group pressure. Moore had served since 2013, received a €4,658 allowance and tied accommodation, and was forced to relocate to Dublin after her dismissal. The case confirmed her legal domicile in Ireland, giving the WRC jurisdiction to adjudicate.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'Entirely blameless' employee ousted in old folks Covid 'mutiny' gets €10k. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• September 2021 Other
• 5 September 2021 Other
• 2024-01-22 Publication

Why: Ms Moore had been left "isolated" because of the pandemic restrictions and "became an authority figure who was blamed for policies and practices not of her making". CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

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Read the original CNI report