Labour Court sets aside Argos unfair-dismissal finding

The Labour Court set aside the unfair-dismissal finding against Argos Distributors (Ireland) Ltd, ruling that no dismissal occurred. The determination was dated 1 November 2017 after the company’s appeal. Padraic Dunne said he regarded himself as dismissed after Argos could not accommodate his request for weekend hours while he attended college. Argos said it wanted to retain him and proposed unpaid leave while his timetable was settled or weekend work during the pre-Christmas period. The Court found Argos had made proposals to retain him and said Dunne should have engaged formally with the company sooner after confirming his college place. The lower decision had also found Dunne’s minimum-notice claim well-founded, but the Labour Court determination does not state its appeal outcome.