The Workplace Relations Commission found Thomas Murphy unfairly dismissed by Ladysbridge Aggregates Limited and awarded him €3,000 compensation. The decision was dated 17 January 2024.
Murphy said his employer told him to leave after a workplace yard dispute involving damage to his lorry. The company said he left after a heated argument and that it had offered him work driving a dumper truck.
The adjudication officer said the evidence about whether Murphy resigned or was dismissed could not be reconciled. The employer had not followed up after the argument to establish whether he intended to resign, and the officer found on the balance of probabilities that he had been unfairly dismissed.
Compensation was chosen because the employment relationship had broken down, making reinstatement or re-engagement unsuitable.