Courts / Ireland / Report

Baker who didn't realise he'd been racially abused until later translation wins €4k

Summary

In a workplace dispute that began in spring 2019, a black French baker alleged he was bullied by predominantly Polish colleagues at an unnamed food and drinks company because he did not speak Polish. The baker claimed he was threatened, isolated, and subjected to a racial slur in Polish on 23 June 2019. He did not understand the slur until it was translated months later, after which he filed a second complaint with the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The WRC rejected most of his claims under the Employment Equality Act 1998 but found the employer liable for the racial slur incident. The adjudicator, Andrew Heavey, awarded the baker €4,000 in compensation for the discrimination, while dismissing all other claims. The decision, published on 26 May 2025, followed four hearings between April 2021 and November 2024 and noted significant delays due to postponements, pandemic, and illness.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Baker who didn't realise he'd been racially abused until later translation wins €4k. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• June 2019 Incident
• February 2019 Other
• 23 June 2019 Other
• December 2019 Other
• 26 May Other
• April 2021 Other
• November 2024 Other
• 2021 and 2024 Incident
• 2025-06-09 Publication

Why: The award was made in a set of rulings published today on a workplace dispute which arose over six years ago in the spring of 2019 when the worker, a black French man, alleged he was being bullied by predominantly Polish colleagues at an unidentified food and drinks company "because he does not speak Polish". CNI source report

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Read the original CNI report