Paramedic fired for letting patient light up at petrol station wins racial discrimination claim

A paramedic in Letterkenny has secured an award of €32,000 for racial discrimination from the Workplace Relations Commission following her dismissal over an incident at a petrol station. The EMT was fired for gross misconduct after allegedly permitting a patient to smoke during a journey, whilst her white colleague faced only a letter of concern for the same incident. The adjudicator found both staff members had acquiesced to the patient's request, yet received markedly different disciplinary outcomes. The employer attempted to shield the colleague under whistleblower protections, a defence the tribunal deemed misconceived. The adjudicator determined the disparity in treatment, coupled with the complainant's prior documented hostility toward the dismissed employee, raised an inference of discrimination on racial grounds. The employer failed to provide fair process, the tribunal noted, as the dismissed worker was denied knowledge of her accuser's identity or opportunity to respond to allegations. The tribunal ruled discrimination occurred under the Employment Equality Act 1998.