A hotel manager made redundant during the Covid-19 pandemic has been awarded €28,500 after the Workplace Relations Commission found his dismissal unfair. The decision, dated 21 July 2022, said his role was temporarily not required while the hotel was closed, rather than genuinely redundant.
Adam Brien worked as food and beverage manager at the Davenport Hotel. Persian Properties UC said pandemic restrictions and business losses forced it to reduce staffing. Brien argued there was no genuine redundancy and that he had not been properly consulted.
The adjudication officer said laying Brien off would have kept open the possibility of his returning when the hotels reopened. The employer did not discuss the redundancy with him before deciding to dismiss him or follow a reasonable process. Brien later retrained as a special needs assistant and was earning about half his previous salary by the hearing.
The WRC ordered the company to pay €28,500, equivalent to nine months’ salary and subject to statutory deductions.