Courts / Carlow / Report
Carpet salesman wins €18k for unfair dismissal
Summary
Fergal McGrath, a carpet salesman, was dismissed by Lynfrae Trading Company Ltd (trading as Kashan Carpets) after his former boss accused him of misusing a company credit card for cigarettes, lotto tickets and pub expenses. The Workplace Relations Commission found the disciplinary process fundamentally flawed: no written notice of allegations, no notes taken, no appeal provision, and the same person who made the charges acted as the disciplinary officer. McGrath claimed the pub expenses were for missed lunches during delivery runs and that the cigarette and lotto purchase was a one‑off mistake he would have reimbursed. He also argued that the company's van was damaged while he was driving and that he had no knowledge of the damage until later. The tribunal awarded him €18,000 for unfair dismissal, covering almost six months of losses. The decision highlighted the employer's procedural failures and the lack of a proper disciplinary procedure.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Carpet salesman wins €18k for unfair dismissal. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial
When:
- March 2023 Incident
- 16 June 2023 Other
- 2024-02-06 Publication
Places mentioned
Topics
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