In 1999, the Labour Court dismissed Eastern Health Board’s appeal and upheld a finding that it discriminated against a male employee by refusing him special adoptive leave under its voluntary scheme. The decision was signed on 4 March 1999.
The scheme provided special leave to adoptive mothers but not adoptive fathers. The Board argued that the Adoptive Leave Act, 1995 governed the employee’s entitlement, but the Court found that he had applied under the voluntary scheme. The Equality Officer had recommended ten weeks’ paid adoptive leave, and the Court affirmed that recommendation.