The WRC awarded an office worker €32,225 after finding her redundancy dismissal unfair and concluding the employer had not shown a genuine redundancy. The decision was dated 12 June 2017. A €14,225 redundancy payment already made may be offset against the award.
The worker said she had 14 years’ service and received no warning or consultation before dismissal. During her notice period, she saw an advertisement for a junior accounts role she could have performed or learned. The cinema operator said it was streamlining its head office as work changed and became more computerised.
The WRC found there was no fair selection process or dialogue with the worker. It pointed to the advertisement for a junior accounts administrator within four weeks of her dismissal and found the operator had not demonstrated a genuine redundancy. Re-engagement was no longer tenable, and the WRC awarded compensation after finding she had made reasonable efforts to reduce her losses, with little success.