Courts / Ireland / Report

Call centre worker heard cursing by customer she thought was on hold loses dismissal claim

Summary

In a decision published on 1 August 2025, an employment tribunal rejected a series of statutory complaints lodged by Colleen Lonergan, a telephonist who had been dismissed from Infosys BPM Ltd. Lonergan claimed unfair dismissal and disability discrimination after she was sacked for using the phrase "what a f***ing b***h" during a call she believed was on hold. The tribunal found that the customer heard the remark and interpreted it as a direct reference to her, and that the language was unacceptable. The tape of the call, reviewed in a company investigation, confirmed the use of the phrase. Lonergan had been allowed to work for a few days while the disciplinary process unfolded, but was ultimately dismissed in early July 2024. The tribunal dismissed her unfair dismissal claim, her disability discrimination claim, and several other statutory complaints, concluding that the conduct constituted gross misconduct and justified dismissal.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Call centre worker heard cursing by customer she thought was on hold loses dismissal claim. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• 27 June 2024 Incident
• July 2024 Other
• 2025-08-01 Publication

Why: "It's my belief that when I made the mistake on the call… the company took full opportunity to terminate my employment because of my ongoing health issues," she added. CNI source report

Case subjects

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Read the original CNI report