The Workplace Relations Commission has ordered the Board Of Management, St Tola’s Ns to pay teacher Emily Williams €85,000 compensation after finding that the school discriminated against her on family status grounds. The decision was dated 5 August 2025.
The WRC upheld her complaint about the award of a contract of indefinite duration to a colleague and the competition for a fixed-term teaching post. Williams said she was overlooked for the contract while on maternity leave and that the principal’s comment about her new baby during her interview could have affected her chances. The school denied discrimination, saying the contract decision followed the previous competition ranking and the fixed-term post went to the candidate with the stronger interview performance.
The adjudication officer found no established policy or practice supporting the contract decision and said the school gave no satisfactory explanation. In the interview process, the comment came before candidates were scored; the school did not explain the scores or show that the comment had no adverse effect.