WRC upholds Spilt Milk worker’s sexual harassment complaint and awards €5,000

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

The Workplace Relations Commission upheld Leni Shanahan’s complaint of sexual harassment against LN Ice Cream Ltd, which operates Dublin’s Spilt Milk parlour, and awarded her €5,000 in compensation. Adjudicator Pat Brady found the company could not rely on a defence that it had taken reasonable steps to prevent harassment because no measures were in place.

The WRC heard that Shanahan, a Trinity College student, said a colleague repeatedly made sexual comments and pressed her for dates. She resigned in September 2024 after taking leave and later complained to her employer and the WRC. The company denied liability, and the colleague denied the allegations.

Brady said it was unhelpful that Shanahan had declined to take part in the company’s investigation and difficult to understand why she had not complained sooner, but said those matters did not reduce the company’s liability. He took them into account when setting compensation.