The Labour Court increased compensation for Olivia Keenan to €10,000 after finding Provincial Security Services Ltd penalised her for raising a workplace safety complaint. The Court rejected the company’s appeal on 27 October 2015, varying the Rights Commissioner’s €2,000 award.
Keenan, a security operative on a six-month contract, complained to her manager about bullying by a colleague on 7 February 2014. The company told her on 19 February that her employment would end because its client wanted reduced staffing. The company said a 50% budget cut required redundancies and it had selected the two least senior employees.
The Court found inconsistencies in the company’s accounts of when it learned of the budget cuts and decided on redundancies. It also found the company had not sought volunteers as its agreement required. The Court concluded Keenan’s complaint was an operative factor in her dismissal and the company had not proved otherwise. It described the dismissal as a reprisal for a health and safety complaint.