Courts / Cork / Report
Autistic cinema manager secures €12k for disability discrimination
Summary
An autistic cinema manager, Dylan O'Riordan, resigned after Omniplex Cork Ltd failed to give him two consecutive days off, a requirement identified in an occupational health assessment. He had reported severe mental‑health difficulties and requested consistent scheduling and rest periods. The Workplace Relations Commission found the employer discriminated under the Employment Equality Act 1998 by not providing reasonable accommodation, despite arranging suitable shifts for students and pregnant workers. The tribunal noted the manager's alleged remark that autism was a "superpower," which the manager denied. O'Riordan's statutory complaint, filed in April, led to a tribunal decision in January 2024. The commission ordered Omniplex to pay €12,000 in compensation and to conduct awareness training for staff with neurological conditions. The award was made after the employer's failure to address O'Riordan's accommodation needs.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Autistic cinema manager secures €12k for disability discrimination. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- March 2022 Other
- 28 October 2023 Other
- 6 June 2024 Other
- November 2023 Other
- January 2024 Other
- 29 January 2024 Other
- 6 June Other
- 2024-11-12 Publication
Why: In her decision, Ms Cunningham wrote that the claimant had raised the inference of discrimination because even though it was common case that "pregnant employees and students" had been accommodated in rostering arrangements, there had been "no such accommodation" for Mr O'Riordan. CNI source report
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