Equality Tribunal Awards Woman €20,000

A woman has been awarded €20,000 compensation for discriminatory dismissal after being made redundant from an accountancy firm when six months pregnant.

The Equality Tribunal found that KA Accountants and Financial Advisors had discriminated against its former employee on the grounds of gender.

The woman worked at the company for more than 2½ years until she was selected for redundancy in May 2009.

She claimed that after telling the company she was pregnant in March 2009 she had been given the “cold shoulder” by one of the firm’s. This was denied by the company.

In April 2009 she and a colleague were told that their section was not performing efficiently and their situation would be reviewed.

In May 2009 she was told her position was being made redundant due to the economic downturn and the loss of a key client.

The woman maintained that the cost of her maternity leave was the real determining factor in her selection for redundancy. The company also denied this.

The company said it told employees in January 2009 that it had lost a key client and would have to make someone redundant if the situation did not improve.

The company said that it had not hired any additional staff since she was made redundant.

Tara Coogan, equality officer for the tribunal was not satisfied that the manner in which the redundancy was decided was “transparent and fair” nor that “other options were explored”.

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