The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) found Mark Doyle was unfairly dismissed by N&C Enterprises Ltd and ordered €21,314 compensation. The decision was dated 9 January 2023.
Doyle worked in sales and operations management, and his employment ended in May 2020. The company said his role was made redundant amid financial difficulties, that there were no alternative roles, and that the managing director took on his tasks. Doyle said he had raised health-and-safety concerns and was verbally attacked by directors; he alleged the redundancy was opportunistic.
The adjudicator found there had been no formal redundancy consultation or discussion of alternatives, and no selection matrix or last-in, first-out process. The decision said the health-and-safety issues formed a significant backdrop and the company had not shown Doyle’s role was redundant. In an unfair dismissal case, the employer must show substantial grounds for the dismissal.
Doyle had earned €5,763 a month at the company and began a new job in July 2020 on €55,000 a year, later rising to €65,000 after promotion. The adjudicator identified €7,314 in lost income for May and June and considered the later pay difference. The WRC ordered €21,314 compensation; it made no award for loss of redundancy-payment rights because Doyle had received a redundancy lump sum.