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Manager 'chased' through office after 'insubordinate' email wins €4k

Summary

In February 2025, Brendan Burke, a senior project manager at Bretland Contracting Ltd, won €4,159 from the Workplace Relations Commission after a dispute over his dismissal. Burke had sent a mass email on 14 November 2023 to 41 colleagues, praising a new senior manager for dismissing a pregnant employee during probation. The company claimed the email was insubordination, harassment and a disregard for hierarchy. Burke denied prior warnings, noting none were on file. He testified that he was summoned to a meeting on 15 November, where he was told a disciplinary process was underway and that leaving without signing two letters would result in dismissal. Burke said he left the room, was shouted at, and then chased through the office, stripped of his keys, phone, laptop and jacket.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Manager 'chased' through office after 'insubordinate' email wins €4k. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• 14 November 2023 Other
• June 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
• Wednesday 15 November 2023 Other
• May 2023 Other
• 2025-02-04 Publication

Why: She upheld the complaint said it did not ultimately matter whether Mr Burke quit or was fired on the day, because the company's procedures were "lacking". CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial

Read the original CNI report