The Workplace Relations Commission awarded Geraldine O’Donnell €15,000 after finding her dismissal by St. Munchin's Community Centre Company Limited By Guarantee unfair. The decision, dated 12 April 2024, concerned her dismissal over a pair of socks she took from boxes at reception, believing they were to be thrown away.
The centre said the socks belonged to another person and had been taken from materials awaiting collection. O’Donnell said she thought the socks were being discarded. She had worked for the organisation for 27 years without a warning and was due to retire in January 2024.
The adjudication officer found O’Donnell’s explanation reasonable in the circumstances. The officer criticised the investigation report for concluding that she had committed theft and gross misconduct, and said the centre had failed to consider proportionality and her mitigation, including her long, unblemished service. The WRC found the dismissal unfair and chose compensation because the employment relationship had broken down.