The Workplace Relations Commission awarded Rebecca Conlan €9,000 after finding that Forenaghts Stud Farm Limited unfairly dismissed her following an altercation over the care of two horses. The decision was dated 23 April 2025.
The employer said Conlan had acted abusively toward the stud manager and refused an instruction. The WRC found the dismissal unfair because the procedures were seriously flawed, there was no separate disciplinary process, and the conduct did not warrant dismissal. It also found she had not done enough to mitigate her losses.
The WRC awarded €3,500 for a weekly-rest breach and €100 for incomplete written employment terms. It rejected complaints about notice and advance notice of working hours; a second written-terms complaint was withdrawn.