The Labour Court raised compensation for Margaret Redmond to €8,000 after finding Finglas Cabs Limited penalised her for making workplace safety complaints. It varied the Rights Commissioner’s €3,000 award on Redmond’s appeal of the amount; the determination was signed on 30 November 2011.
Redmond, a base controller, said she complained to management and authorities about a colleague’s behaviour and was then placed on unpaid suspension. Finglas Cabs said she was suspended because she refused to carry out her duties when asked to serve the colleague.
The Court found her complaints were protected and that, but for those complaints, she would not have been suspended. It said management made no real attempt to resolve the situation and called the suspension a severe and inappropriate disciplinary sanction. The award was not compensation for lost earnings.