In 1990, the Labour Court recommended that Brown Thomas & Company Limited pay £2,000 compensation to a Chanel cosmetic consultant dismissed after disputes over her employment status and sales performance. The recommendation was signed on 19 July 1990.
The Irish Distributive and Administrative Trade Union said the worker was dismissed without warning and given unrealistic sales targets. Brown Thomas said Harwood Brothers Limited employed her, while Harwood Brothers said she failed to meet performance targets during probation. The Court found Brown Thomas should be regarded as her employer and criticised the unclear employment arrangements. It left Brown Thomas and Harwood Brothers to agree how to share responsibility for the payment.