Courts / Ireland / Report
Secretary sacked after break up with company director is awarded €22k
2022-12-01
Sentence
Summary
Rosemarie Quinlan, secretary at Spencer Family Holdings Limited from 2010 to November 2020, was dismissed after her relationship with a director's son ended in June 2019. Quinlan claimed she was told to "go home" and was placed on Covid‑19 leave in March 2020. She was not paid wages for October 2020, nor her accrued annual leave or notice pay, and received no clear resignation notice. The firm claimed she had resigned voluntarily and was absent for 10 months. The Workplace Relations Commission found the dismissal substantively and procedurally unfair, citing a sharp deficit in the duty of care. Quinlan was awarded €21,980, covering pay in lieu of notice, unpaid salary and holiday entitlements, equivalent to 14 months' salary. The decision was published on 1 December 2022.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Secretary sacked after break up with company director is awarded €22k. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- November 2020 Other
- June 2019 Other
- March 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- 25 September Hearing Or Sentence
- 28 August 2020 Other
- 2022-12-01 Publication
Case subjects
Applicant
Outcome: She found the dismissal was both substantively and procedurally unfair and made an order against Spencer Family Holdings Limited to pay Ms Quinlan €21,980, a sum equivalent to 14 months' salary. "I have arrived at this figure in response to the profound procedural void in the case and the impact of this omission on the complainant," she added, noting that it included pay in lieu of notice, unpaid salary and unpaid holiday entitlements.
Topics
Help us improve this report
Your request is saved for the newsroom's next review. It does not immediately change the published report.
Prefer email? Send a correction request.