Courts / Galway / Report
Fashion buyer who felt she was 'treated like criminal' when visa temporarily expired wins €25k
Summary
Poliane Fernandes Lima, a fashion buyer, was dismissed by Elland Distributors Ltd (trading as Born Clothing) on 25 January 2024 after her work visa had expired two days earlier. She had a renewal appointment scheduled for 28 January and had informed the payroll administrator a month earlier that her visa renewal would be delayed. The company's manager, Marty Murphy, issued a termination letter without any investigation or discussion about her visa status. The Workplace Relations Commission found that the dismissal was unfair, citing the absence of any procedural safeguards and reliance on incorrect information. The adjudicator noted that Lima had applied for a visa renewal well before it expired, meeting the Department of Justice's grace period criteria. Consequently, the tribunal ordered Elland Distributors Ltd to pay Lima €25,000 in compensation for the unfair dismissal.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Fashion buyer who felt she was 'treated like criminal' when visa temporarily expired wins €25k. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- 25 January 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
- Thursday 25th January Other
- Sunday 28th January Other
- December 2023 Other
- January 25th Other
- 2024-09-27 Publication
Why: She explained that she had been "happily employed" in Dublin working for a major international fashion house before being "hunted" for the position with Born Clothing in Galway. CNI source report
Case subjects
Applicant
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