Care home hit by deadly Covid outbreak must pay nursing director €63k for unfair dismissal

A Monaghan care home has been ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay its former nursing director over €63,000 for unfair dismissal. The operator of Drumbear Lodge, which experienced a significant Covid-19 outbreak in April 2020, dismissed the nursing director without substantive grounds, the tribunal found. The adjudicating officer determined the company produced no evidence to support allegations of misconduct or poor performance against the complainant. The dismissal was deemed both substantively and procedurally unfair. During the hearing, the company's chief executive acknowledged concerns about the home's management but the tribunal found his evidence "confusing and inconsistent". The complainant's legal representative argued the dismissal process was "devoid of natural justice", a submission the adjudicating officer found "compelling and persuasive". The compensation award of €63,740.38 reflects the complainant's subsequent loss of earnings when moving to a lower-paid public sector position and four weeks' pay following dismissal.