The Workplace Relations Commission awarded Clare Bevins €75,842 after finding she was unfairly dismissed by Jamestown Manufacturing Limited. The decision was dated 17 January 2023. Bevins, who had worked for the company since 2002 and became its finance director in 2014, said its owner’s conduct forced her to resign. The company denied constructive dismissal.
The adjudication officer found that Bevins faced repeated offensive comments, disparaging remarks and foul language, which seriously damaged trust and confidence. The company’s managing director corroborated much of her account, and the officer found that the company did not act on her grievance after it was raised. Although Bevins had not used the formal grievance procedure, the officer found that the only person she could raise it with was the owner and that a complaint to him would not have been acted on. The company had two months to address the grievance before she left but did nothing. The officer assessed her financial loss at €101,122.67, including a company-car loss, and reduced compensation by 25% after finding that Bevins had restricted her availability for work.