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eBay worker reprimanded for four-minute break loses constructive dismissal claim

Date
2025-05-26
Stage
Hearing Or Decision
Primary locality
Navan
County
Meath

Summary

An eBay customer‑support agent, Eanna Donoghue, who had worked for the company for almost seven years, resigned on 5 March 2024 after receiving a written warning for "work avoidance" following a four‑minute period of inactivity on his computer. Donoghue claimed that personal tragedies, including a friend's death in Navan, had affected him and that the warning was unfair. He also alleged that the warning was linked to earlier grievances he had filed against managers. The Workplace Relations Commission tribunal rejected his constructive dismissal claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. The tribunal found that the warning was justified, noting that any period over 60 seconds of inactivity was considered work avoidance, and that Donoghue had not raised a grievance before resigning. The decision upheld the written warning and dismissed the claim.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: eBay worker reprimanded for four-minute break loses constructive dismissal claim. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

Why: Her position was that the issue was exacerbated by Mr Donoghue's failure to use an hour specifically allotted for him to answer her queries on the downtime and because she "had to follow up several times". CNI source report

Case subjects

Eanna Donoghue

Applicant

Unfair Dismissals Act

Applicant

Places mentioned

Secondary Mention
Residence

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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