WRC awards Mary Cummins €2,000 after finding constructive dismissal

The Workplace Relations Commission found that Mary Cummins was constructively dismissed by Sakura Hairdressing Limited and awarded her €2,000 for financial loss. The decision was dated 26 November 2021. Cummins said proposed changes to her contract after lockdown could reduce her pay indefinitely without a review clause. The salon said it was seeking staff support during difficult and uncertain circumstances and denied constructive dismissal. The adjudication officer considered Cummins’s request for a review clause reasonable and accepted that she felt she had no alternative but to resign. The officer also found the resignation premature and took that into account when assessing her losses.