WRC awards deli worker Mary Farrell €1,134 for unfair dismissal

The Workplace Relations Commission awarded Mary Farrell €1,134 after finding that a unilateral change to her working hours amounted to unfair dismissal. The decision against The Windmill Stores Daybreak was dated 23 July 2024. Farrell said her employer changed her hours to afternoon and evening shifts that she could not work while caring for her grandchildren, leaving her with no workable shifts. The employer said she left because she could not do the new hours and that the change was intended to help the business run smoothly. The adjudication officer found that Farrell’s established hours were part of her implied contract and could not be changed without her consent. The officer said the change addressed a dispute with another employee without resolving it, and favoured that employee because of her availability and deli cooking skills. The decision described the change as tantamount to dismissal. The award was compensation, with the amount reflecting the officer’s consideration of the dismissal and mitigation.