Courts / Westmeath / Report
Workman sacked after complaint about company van's brakes wins €14k
Summary
The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) awarded €14,262 to applicant Krzysztof Bonarek, finding that his dismissal by Sean Doyle Windows Ltd in November 2024 constituted penalisation for safety complaints. Adjudication officer Davnet O'Driscoll determined that the termination breached the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, directing the firm to pay €11,200 in compensation for this penalisation. The WRC noted that Mr Bonarek had reported that the company van's brakes were not working properly to management, specifically Sean Doyle Jnr, and subsequently had the vehicle inspected by a mechanic who found it in poor repair. Following this, Mr Bonarek was told he was being laid off and later informed his position was terminated due to insufficient work. The respondent argued the dismissal was for performance reasons and that the applicant had agreed to immediate termination in exchange for a reference. However, the adjudication officer found no evidence of a disciplinary process, redundancy notice, or consultation, describing the situation as unusual. The officer concluded the dismissal was unfair on procedural grounds and amounted to penalisation. Additional redress was awarded for breaches of the Payment of Wages Act 1991 and the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994, bringing the total award to €14,262. Counsel for the applicant was Darach McNamara BL, and for the respondent, Cillian McGovern BL.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Workman sacked after complaint about company van's brakes wins €14k. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- November 2024 Other
- 2 December Other
- 21 November 2024 Other
- 28 November Other
- Christmas Other
- 2026-06-03 Publication
Why: What was communicated to Mr Bonarek was: "Because things went rogue between us, there will be no more work for a few weeks," counsel submitted. CNI source report
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