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'Pretty stressful': veteran exec found out she was being demoted in company newsletter, WRC hears
Summary
A veteran Irish executive, Caroline O'Connell, described the stress of discovering she was being demoted from her role as managing director at a multinational company through a company newsletter. She spent 24 years with the firm, which is part of the international translation and localisation group Lionbridge. O'Connell raised concerns about being expected to sit on the dole for a year due to a non-compete clause after being unfairly dismissed from her high-earning position. Her former employer has conceded the unfair dismissal claim, and the Workplace Relations Commission is considering redress, with over half a million euro in dispute. O'Connell's barrister, Stephen Moran BL, argued that she was "unceremoniously ousted" in a "sham redundancy" in November 2024. She claimed she was informed of the job change in a newsletter in July 2024, which was particularly stressful after her long tenure. O'Connell also mentioned that she was given notice of the risk to her role just two days after a grievance process.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Pretty stressful': veteran exec found out she was being demoted in company newsletter, WRC hears. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- November 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2025-12-10 Publication
Why: "I believe I was dismissed because I took a grievance about my job being changed in a newsletter to the company," Ms O'Connell told the tribunal. CNI source report
Case subjects
Applicant
Places mentioned
- High Court
Topics
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