The WRC recommended that an employer review its contracts and establish formal dismissal procedures after a worker was told by email while on holiday in Portugal that her employment was ending. The recommendation was dated 26 February 2026.
The worker said she had not been told her job was maternity cover, and her contract did not mention the arrangement. The employer said she had been hired to cover an employee on maternity leave, but accepted that the contract did not expressly say so. The worker had attended two review meetings and said she received no performance or conduct concerns.
The WRC recommended clearer contracts and formal, fair and consistent dismissal procedures. It made no recommendation for compensation. The employer said the returning employee had confirmed her return while the worker was abroad and that it had communicated the decision by email.