The WRC recommended that a toy shop pay a worker €2,500 after finding his dismissal both procedurally and substantively unfair. The decision was dated 29 February 2024.
The worker said the shop dismissed him after he stayed away from work in line with HSE guidance while testing positive for Covid-19. The shop did not attend the hearing, and the officer accepted the worker’s account. He found that the shop had not investigated the absences or heard any explanation before dismissing him. The officer also noted that the worker had secured new employment within a couple of months.
The officer recommended €2,500 in compensation and a review of the shop’s termination policies and procedures, including for cases outside the scope of the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977.