The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) awarded a worker €3,000 after finding her dismissal unfair. The decision was dated 17 July 2024.
The worker said her employer dismissed her for unauthorised leave after she had taken annual leave and then eight months of certified sick leave. She said she sent medical certificates each month and contacted the employer when she was fit to return. The employer did not attend the hearing.
The adjudication officer found the employer had not investigated the alleged unauthorised leave, contacted the worker about her certificates or told her that her job was at risk. She found part-time work two weeks after her dismissal, earning €276, and faced added travel costs. The WRC awarded €3,000 compensation.