Courts / Dublin / Report

Case against 'Woman's Way' publisher concerns 'exploitation' of women in media industry, lawyers say

Date
2026-04-28

Stage
Charge Or Pretrial

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Lawyers for Andrea Smith, a journalist who claims she suffered multiple rights breaches while working in a key role at 'Woman's Way' publisher Harmonia, have stated that the case concerns the 'exploitation' of women in the media industry. Smith has accused Harmonia Ltd of breaching her rights under the Redundancy Payments Act 1967 and the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, along with seven other unspecified matters, in a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). At a case management hearing, Harmonia denied that Smith was an employee, claiming the tribunal has no jurisdiction. The company's legal representative argued that most of Smith's complaints were filed more than six months after alleged breaches, making them out of time and out of jurisdiction. Smith's barrister, Patricia McKenna BL, emphasized the need for a ruling on Smith's employment status, stating that she was not a freelance journalist and that the case highlights the exploitation of women in the media industry.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Case against 'Woman's Way' publisher concerns 'exploitation' of women in media industry, lawyers say. Charges or matters: breach of rights under Redundancy Payments Act 1967; breach of rights under Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

December 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
2026-04-28 Publication

Why: "One way or the other, we want that to be adjudicated on, because our client was working in the magazine basically in a key role in it. CNI source report