The Workplace Relations Commission found that a hotel indirectly discriminated against a Traveller Community member through its credit card check-in policy and awarded her €500. The decision was dated 8 August 2023.
The woman said she was turned away despite payment having been made, after the hotel refused her offer of a €150 deposit because she had no credit card. The hotel said the policy applied to guests generally and protected it against damage and unpaid charges. The WRC found that members of the Traveller Community faced particular disadvantage in accessing credit and that the hotel had not shown a credit card was the only suitable security option. Cash or debit card preauthorisation could also provide security.
The WRC ordered the hotel to revise its policy to allow other reasonable forms of security. A separate race discrimination complaint was withdrawn.