The Workplace Relations Commission dismissed a customer’s race discrimination and harassment complaints against a retailer over its handling of reports of incidents involving a third party at its supermarket and car park. The decision was dated 21 December 2016.
The customer said the retailer had not taken her reports seriously because of her race or nationality and had failed to help or follow up. She said she was unable to shop at the supermarket as a result. The retailer said it investigated her report of an incident on 22 January 2013, found that the location was not covered by CCTV and advised her to contact Gardaí.
The officer found no evidence that the staff who handled the matter knew the customer’s race or nationality, or that she was treated less favourably than an Irish customer would have been. The complaints were dismissed because she had not established a prima facie case of discrimination or harassment. An earlier alleged incident on 11 July 2010 was outside the time limit.