Geraldine O’Donnell wins €15,000 unfair dismissal award

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Geraldine O’Donnell won a €15,000 award for unfair dismissal from the Workplace Relations Commission, in a decision dated 12 April 2024. The case concerned her dismissal after taking socks from a community centre in Limerick.

The adjudicator found that O’Donnell reasonably believed the socks were to be thrown away. The decision criticised the investigation and disciplinary process, including the employer’s failure to weigh her explanation and long, unblemished work record when considering dismissal.

The WRC upheld her complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Acts and awarded compensation. Its decision records that her employment ended on 1 December 2022 and that she had been due to retire in January 2024.