A former Dunnes Stores employee who was sacked by the company last year for allegedly undercharging customers has been awarded €8,500 by the Employment Appeals Tribunal.
Ms Charlotte Bradshaw, Kilnaboy, Corofin, Co Clare, was one of 11 staff dismissed from the company's Ennis store after an investigation into alleged undercharging. The 11, and three others who were suspended, had been accused of selling goods at "less than the full price" to customers and other employees.
The tribunal found that Ms Bradshaw's dismissal in May last year was unfair. There was no conclusive proof that she had been involved in undercharging, it said, and the company had not adhered to fair and proper procedures in dismissing her.
Ms Bradshaw, who had worked for Dunnes since June 2001, told the tribunal that she was "bombarded" with questions at a meeting with management in late April last year. She was five months pregnant at the time.
She said she had been asked to "implicate" other employees, and no video evidence or evidence from till rolls had been produced to her. A representative of the company agreed under cross-examination at the tribunal that Ms Bradshaw had brought the matter of undercharging to the attention of management, and had consistently denied any involvement.
The tribunal also awarded €130,000 in compensation to a manufacturing engineer manager who it found was unfairly dismissed by a company that makes and packages CDs.
Mr Christopher Burge, Garrynure, Milltown, Dublin, was sacked by Saturn Fulfilment Services Ltd, IFSC, North Wall Quay, in 2002.
The tribunal said the company had concerns regarding the performance and output of the plant managed by Mr Burge, but the problems were not wholly or mainly attributable to his performance.
In addition, the company had failed to implement "its own or any fair disciplinary procedures" in dismissing the claimant.
Compensation of €42,000 was also awarded to a call centre employee, Mr Augustin Mamba, Warrenstown Bay, Blanchardstown, Dublin. The tribunal found he was unfairly dismissed by IBM Ireland Product Distribution Ltd, of Burlington Road, Dublin.
