The Labour Court found that Castolin Eutectic Ireland Ltd unfairly dismissed machine operator Bogdan Vasarheli through redundancy procedures that gave him no chance to suggest alternatives or appeal. The Court awarded no further compensation beyond the ex-gratia redundancy payment he had already received.
In its determination dated 24 March 2023, the Court said the company had selected Vasarheli ahead of a shorter-service colleague, citing the colleague’s broader skills. It found the process procedurally deficient because workers were not directly consulted or given a chance to propose alternatives or appeal.
The Court found Vasarheli’s evidence about his losses and efforts to find work less than credible. It said prolonged gaps in his job search and applications for roles requiring skills he did not have left him unemployed longer than necessary. It therefore found the employer was not liable to compensate him for that loss.