Cullen Cleaning Limited was ordered to pay Bozena Bojanowska €4,000 after an Equality Officer found the company discriminated against her by delaying her return to work after maternity leave. The decision was dated 15 December 2014.
Bojanowska said she was ready to return on 1 January 2011 but did not resume work until 23 February. Cullen Cleaning attributed the delay to a communication failure. The officer found the delay amounted to gender discrimination and awarded compensation for the distress caused.
Five other claims failed: discrimination relating to a new contract, alleged dismissal and reduced hours; discrimination on race and family status grounds; and victimisation. The officer found the new contract did not affect Bojanowska’s terms, her hours matched her earlier hours in light of her request to work evenings, and there was no evidence her son’s dismissal was linked to her threat of legal action. A €726.75 payment was accrued holiday pay, not compensation for the delay.