Polonez employer defeats family-status discrimination complaints

The Workplace Relations Commission rejected Monika Zacharczyk’s complaints of family-status discrimination and discrimination in conditions of employment against Tempside Limited, trading as Polonez. The decision was dated 3 September 2024. Zacharczyk asked to return to work part-time after leave, with hours arranged around her husband’s roster so she could care for their child. The company refused, saying it needed a full-time Supervisor Assistant and that the proposed roster was impractical. It also said its other supervisor was on long-term sick leave. The adjudicator found the operational reasons for refusing part-time hours were not related to family status. The WRC also found insufficient evidence that she was treated less favourably over medical certificates or PRSI contributions. Both complaints were found not well-founded.