Courts / Ireland / Report

Lack of reference contributed to salesman's loss of earnings, WRC finds in awarding €42k

Summary

The Workplace Relations Commission awarded Graziano D'Amato €42,000 after finding that TripAdmit Ltd breached the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 by dismissing him without providing a written reference. D'Amato, a salesman hired in September 2021, was dismissed in February 2024 after failing to meet aggressive sales targets. The company's chief executive, John Maguire, explained that the firm had reduced staff from 14 to seven due to funding shortages and that D'Amato's performance was below expectations, with only 46% of his target achieved and a single client generating revenue. D'Amato argued that the dismissal letter cited his clients' poor performance, not his own, and that he had received no formal warning. The tribunal found TripAdmit's refusal to give a written reference contributed to his loss of earnings and awarded the compensation. The decision noted that the dismissal lacked clear grounds and that the company had not demonstrated substantial justification for terminating D'Amato.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Lack of reference contributed to salesman's loss of earnings, WRC finds in awarding €42k. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• September 2021 Other
• 2024-10-24 Publication

Why: It's not because I was not hitting the target. CNI source report

Topics

Stage Trial

Read the original CNI report