The Labour Court has upheld the rejection of Anselm Ssebuguzi’s race discrimination complaint against Bluebell Horizons Limited T/A The Monastery Inn. In its determination dated 6 July 2022, the Court found that unfair treatment at work had not been shown to be connected to his race.
Ssebuguzi worked as a kitchen porter. Both sides accepted that he was paid €9 an hour, below the then national minimum wage of €9.80. He also said he did not receive a payslip or annual leave payment, and alleged race-related harassment and that his dismissal followed a complaint about a colleague.
The Court accepted that he was underpaid and had not received the payslip or annual leave payment, but found no demonstrated connection between those matters and his race. It accepted the employer’s reasons for seeking his PPSN and bank details as reasonable and consistent with normal industry practice, and found nothing inherently discriminatory in the steps to establish his entitlement to work in Ireland. Suspending his employment pending those documents was not discriminatory dismissal or victimisation. The Court said the employer’s failure to follow up his complaint about the colleague did not comply with best practice, but found no evidence linking the alleged remarks to race. The appeal failed, leaving the original decision in place.