The Workplace Relations Commission found that MDE Installations Ltd unfairly dismissed smart meter installer Gerard O'Connell and awarded him €5,000 in compensation. The decision was dated 18 April 2023.
O'Connell said the dismissal followed disputes over annual leave and wages. The company argued his absences and conduct justified its decision. The adjudication officer accepted O'Connell's evidence that management had approved leave later treated as unauthorised, and found that a €100 deduction from his wages over alleged unauthorised use of a company vehicle was illegal.
The officer found that the disciplinary allegations were vague and had not been investigated before the company proceeded to a hearing. O'Connell did not attend the disciplinary meeting or appeal his dismissal, but the officer considered his decision to withdraw from the process understandable given its flaws. The officer concluded that no reasonable employer would have dismissed him in the circumstances.
The €5,000 compensation reflected O'Connell's losses after dismissal. The officer found he had not provided enough supporting evidence of efforts to find alternative work and reduce those losses.