Courts / Ireland / Report

WRC urges café to pay €5K to barista deemed 'too friendly'

Summary

In September 2025 the Workplace Relations Commission recommended €5,000 compensation to a barista who resigned after her employer accused her of being "too friendly" with customers. The adjudicator found that the café had created an "unsavoury and undermining work environment" by ambushing the barista with serious misconduct accusations in January 2025, subjecting her to a punitive transfer to another branch, and demanding a private discussion without notice. The barista reported being physically threatened and that the employer threatened to report her to the Gardaí. The employer claimed it was conducting an initial investigation into alleged undercharging and free giveaways, but the adjudicator noted the transfer amounted to a disciplinary sanction without proper investigation. The barista quit shortly after, and the commission's recommendation was based on the distress and loss she suffered.".

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: WRC urges café to pay €5K to barista deemed 'too friendly'. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• January 2025 Other
• Friday 27 December Other
• Friday, 3 January 2025 Other
• 3 January 2025 Other
• 7 January Incident
• Christmas Other
• 2025-09-19 Publication

Case subjects

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial

Read the original CNI report