A woman who worked since she was a child in her aunt's pub and was due to inherit the business before being dismissed has been awarded almost €52,000 compensation by the Employment Appeals Tribunal.
The tribunal found that Ann Murphy had been unfairly dismissed by her aunt, the late Ita Mordant of Mayors Walk, Waterford.
This is one of the tribunal's biggest-ever awards and was made after it heard details of family rows, one of which involved fisticuffs, allegations of multiple wills and how Ms Murphy had been disinherited.
The tribunal found the methods used by Ms Mordant to terminate her niece's employment were tantamount to summary dismissal.
Ms Mordant had "given no notice, warnings or explanation" to her niece for her arbitrary and unexplained action, according to the tribunal's findings which have just been made available.
"Considering her service, dedication and input into the running of the pub the claimant was treated with little regard and even less respect" by her aunt and those acting on her behalf, the tribunal found.
Ms Mordant had given evidence to an initial hearing of the tribunal before her death, and Ms Murphy's award has been made against the representatives of her aunt's estate, her brother Henry Murphy jnr and sister Patricia Wiseman.
The tribunal was told Ms Murphy began working temporarily in her aunt's pub at a young age. After returning from abroad she had worked full-time and helped manage it from 1989 until she was dismissed in 2003.
Before she died Ms Mordant told the tribunal her health deteriorated from January 2002, and for a period she went to stay with her nephew. She expressed her displeasure at the way she was treated by her niece from that time on.
She said Ms Murphy put pressure on her to "sign over" the pub to her. She denied she had promised the pub to her niece if she discontinued a nursing course. She revised her will during her illness because Ms Murphy was no longer a "favourite niece".
The tribunal awarded Ms Murphy €46,000 for unfair dismissal, €2,700 for six weeks' notice and €3,060 leave and holiday pay.