The Labour Court set aside the €2,000 harassment award to Tongai Dodo after allowing County Dublin Vocational Educational Committee’s appeal on time-limit grounds. In its determination dated 8 November 2013, the Court found the complaints were brought outside the time limit and were not well founded; the merits were not decided.
Dodo had worked as a sports centre attendant for the committee. The Equality Tribunal had found that a senior manager harassed him on racial grounds during an incident on 2 July 2008, but rejected his discrimination and victimisation complaints. It awarded him €2,000 for harassment.
The committee argued that the 2008 incident was too late to be considered. Dodo said a later alleged incident could bring the complaint within the time limit. The Labour Court found no acts capable of constituting a breach within the six-month period and ruled that the earlier allegations were statute-barred, setting aside the award.