Labour Court varies redundancy decision on employer’s appeal

The Labour Court found Bernadette Conn entitled to a redundancy payment after deciding that a cook’s job offered at another creche was not suitable alternative employment. It varied the Adjudication Officer’s decision on the appeal by Cosy Tots& Co. Ltd. Conn worked at the company’s Nutgrove creche, which it planned to close. The employer said it offered her a cook’s position on the same terms at its Barrow Street creche, while Conn argued that the move would mean a longer commute without parking and affect her family responsibilities. The Court considered the time needed for the commute and the lack of parking, and found it reasonable for Conn to reject the offer. The payment calculation was based on employment from 3 September 2001 to 2 August 2019 and a salary of €360 a week. The Labour Court determination was dated 2 February 2021.