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Livestock agent sacked after being in 'wrong place at wrong time' during off-the-books deal wins unfair dismissal case
Summary
Bobby Fenton, a livestock agent for Grasstec, was dismissed after the company alleged he had traded livestock on his own account during working hours. Fenton admitted knowledge of a private cattle sale brokered by a colleague, Mr A, but claimed he was simply "in the wrong place at the wrong time" when a manager spotted him at a farm in West Cork on 22 June 2021. Grasstec argued that the sale, worth €9,000, constituted fraudulent dealing and that Fenton's failure to report Mr A's activities warranted dismissal for gross misconduct. The Workplace Relations Commission found that Grasstec had shown "a total disregard for any type of fair procedure" and that Fenton's dismissal was unfair, awarding him €2,000 in compensation under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. The decision noted that Fenton had contributed to his own dismissal but that the employer's process was flawed.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Livestock agent sacked after being in 'wrong place at wrong time' during off-the-books deal wins unfair dismissal case. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- June 22, 2021 Other
- 2024-02-16 Publication
Why: He accepted that he did have dealings with he UK customer who received the animals, Mr B, and that he was on the farm with Mr A on the day because they "travelled down together", the WRC recorded. CNI source report
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