WRC awards Caolán Higgins €2,850 over constructive dismissal

The Workplace Relations Commission found Caolán Higgins was constructively dismissed by Rushe’s of Naas Supervalu and awarded him €2,850 compensation. The decision was dated 21 April 2023. Higgins said his manager repeatedly belittled him while he was filling in as back-room manager, and that an angry exchange left him unable to continue in the job. The company denied constructive dismissal; its manager disputed Higgins’s account and said he had issued instructions and occasional reprimands. The WRC found Higgins raised his grievance in his resignation letter and the company did not address it before his employment ended. In plain terms, constructive dismissal means an employee resigns because the employer’s conduct makes continuing at work untenable. The officer noted Higgins found other work shortly after leaving when assessing compensation.