The Labour Court found that Westmeath Community Development Limited victimised Kerrie Shine and awarded her €10,000 compensation. The Court’s determination was signed on 16 October 2014, allowing Shine’s appeal from an Equality Officer decision that had rejected her complaint.
Shine said the employer knew she had complained to the Equality Tribunal about her former employer. After that employer merged with Westmeath Community Development, she said she was left working alone for three months, removed from managing the Brawny Centre, refused training support and made redundant because of her complaints. The company said staffing changes followed an organisational review and that redundancy was needed after funding fell short by €100,000.
The Court found that Shine had established facts giving rise to an inference of victimisation. It was not satisfied with the company’s explanations for leaving her alone, promising but never intending to investigate the Brawny Centre dispute, handling her training-support request, or the urgency of the redundancy decision. It found that her complaints had influenced the decision to end her employment and awarded €10,000.