WRC finds Fettercairn Youth Horse Project dismissal of Shane Kehoe was reasonable

The WRC found the dismissal of Shane Kehoe by Fettercairn Youth Horse Project was reasonable and declared his unfair-dismissal complaint not well founded. The decision was dated 29 April 2022. The project said it dismissed Kehoe for gross misconduct after a text message it viewed as a serious threat to a manager. It cited safety risks to staff and children at the yard, where startled horses could cause severe injuries. Kehoe argued the message was taken out of context and that the disciplinary process was unfair, including because the employer had not considered another sanction. The WRC found some procedural shortcomings, but said they did not make the dismissal unfair. It concluded the message and its circumstances supported the employer’s safety concerns. Kehoe acknowledged sending it but did not provide the other messages he said would give it context. The officer found the dismissal fell within the range of reasonable responses.