The Labour Court rejected Siobhan Murphy’s appeal against a finding that Wexford County Council had not penalised her. In its determination dated 19 June 2017, the Court found she had not established that she suffered detriment amounting to penalisation after relaying complaints about a colleague to management. The adjudication officer’s decision stood.
Murphy, an executive scientist, said workplace difficulties followed her relaying two public complaints about her colleague’s work. Wexford County Council argued that the events she relied on occurred in 2012 and were raised too late, and denied that its actions amounted to penalisation. The Court said a claim required a protected act, detriment and a causal connection between them. It found Murphy had not established the required detriment.