The SIPTU Workers Rights Centre (WRC) secured an award for a hospitality worker who was dismissed from her job at a busy bar and restaurant in county Galway after she requested time off over the Christmas period. SIPTU WRC Advocate, Shonagh Byrne, said: “The SIPTU member was employed in a busy bar and restaurant in the Galway area for more than a year. After her work hours were reduced, she requested some time off to travel to the USA for temporary work over the Christmas period. “The request was refused, and the worker was told by her manager that she was to be dismissed without notice. The company did not apply any fair procedures in the dismissal and argued that the worker had not been dismissed but had left of her own accord. The worker had also never received a written statement of the terms of her employment. “The SIPTU WRC brought the case to the Workplace Relations Commission and a hearing was held on 6th January. “The Workplace Relations Commission Adjudicator found that the worker was unfairly dismissed and did not receive the minimum statutory notice. The worker was awarded compensation of €1260 for the unfair dismissal and one week’s pay of €315, as compensation for minimum notice. She was also awarded two weeks’ pay of €630 for the failure by her former employer to provide her with a written statement of the terms of her employment, which is a breach of Section 3 of the Terms of Employment Information Act.” Byrne added: “We are very happy with the adjudication decision in this case. Our member was not treated fairly during her employment and was then unfairly dismissed without notice. This case highlights the importance for workers in the hospitality sector to join SIPTU to ensure their employment rights are protected.”
SIPTU wins award for unfairly dismissed Galway hospitality worker
