The Workplace Relations Commission found Catherine Branagan's redundancy dismissal by Exela Technologies Limited unfair and ordered the company to pay €57,225 in compensation, equivalent to one year's gross pay. The decision was dated 10 August 2022.
Branagan had worked at AIB from 1979 before transferring to Exela in 2014. Her role was made redundant in September 2020 as the company cut jobs amid reduced client work and declining business. Exela said she was fairly selected and had shown no interest in an alternative part-time role. Branagan argued the selection process was unfair and subjective.
The WRC accepted that a genuine redundancy situation existed but found Branagan could have been trained to do the remaining job. It concluded Exela acted unreasonably in selecting her and had not properly discussed alternatives to redundancy. Branagan found another job in November 2021, earning €357 a week compared with €1,100 at Exela; the award is subject to statutory deductions.