Courts / Galway / Report

Worker who said she was told job moving boxes was 'only for men' wins €7.5k

Summary

Jess Quinn, a temporary employee at SSL Ltd, claimed she was told a manual‑handling vacancy at Merlin Park University Hospital was "only for men" because of the weight of the boxes. She applied for the role after being told her contract would not be renewed. Quinn said she was told at a meeting that the job was unsuitable for her due to her gender and the weight of the boxes, and that only men would be considered. She was not called for an interview and two men were hired instead. The Workplace Relations Commission found the company's statement discriminatory, noting it failed to assess Quinn's physical capability. The commission awarded Quinn €7,500 in compensation under the Employment Equality Act 1998. The decision was made by adjudicator Niamh O'Carroll.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Worker who said she was told job moving boxes was 'only for men' wins €7.5k. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• March 2023 Other
• December 2022 Other
• Tuesday 28 February Other
• 2024-03-25 Publication

Why: Ms Quinn, a temporary employee at the firm whose contract was coming to an end in March 2023, decided to apply for the vacancy even after being told it was "only for men" because of the weight of the boxes, she told the employment tribunal. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial

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Read the original CNI report