Kasia Czernik loses sexual harassment claim against RTÉ

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

Kasia Czernik’s €300,000 discrimination claim against RTÉ over its handling of workplace sexual harassment was rejected by the Workplace Relations Commission, reported on 5 October 2023.

WRC adjudicator Maria Kelly found that Czernik had been sexually harassed by a colleague, but that RTÉ had not discriminated against her or treated her adversely for making the complaint. Kelly found the broadcaster had taken reasonably practicable steps to prevent further harassment and different treatment at work.

Those steps included workplace training, support through the Employee Assistance Programme and paid sick leave, appointing an investigation board within four days of the formal complaint, and implementing its recommendations. The board upheld Czernik’s complaint against newsroom colleague Noel Fogarty, who was dismissed in November 2021.

Czernik had sought €300,000, including €150,000 for the impact on her career and €150,000 for the mental, emotional and physical effects of the harassment. She had worked as a multimedia journalist at RTÉ for five years before resigning in March 2022.