A manager with Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, who had been suspended following allegations of bullying, yesterday settled his High Court claim against the company.
Mr Paul Walsh, of Longford Place, Monkstown, Co Dublin, joined the company in 1990 as a test engineer earning €15,000 a year. He was promoted to production unit manager in 1999 earning €120,000 with "substantial" Microsoft share options. He was in charge of 200 employees at the company's Sandyford, Dublin plant.
Mr Walsh claimed he was told in February 2001 there was going to be an investigation into his management style in circumstances where it was claimed there were complaints of alleged bullying by him. The court was told by Mr Paul Gallagher SC, for Microsoft, that the company was raising no issue about the performance of Mr Walsh's work.
Mr Walsh claimed there had been a failure to furnish him with reasonable particulars of the alleged complaints. Following a decision by the company to hold a disciplinary hearing, he applied to the High Court and brought proceedings against Microsoft.
Microsoft, in its defence, denied the claims made by Mr Walsh and added that it had sought to properly investigate the complaints of bullying and to deal with those complaints in accordance with its policies and procedures. The company claimed Mr Walsh had failed, neglected and refused to act reasonably in relation to the complaints' investigation and had sought to frustrate the company from dealing with them.
Microsoft claimed it gave Mr Walsh sufficient information to allow him to defend himself properly and added that he was suspended pending the conclusion of the disciplinary inquiries.
The case, which began on Tuesday, ended yesterday when Mr Rory Brady SC, for Mr Walsh, told Mr Justice O Caoimh the matter was settled on consent and the action could be struck out with no further order.
