A WOMAN who was sacked due to conflicts at work caused by her pregnancy has been awarded €50,000 by the Equality Tribunal.
The tribunal ruled that, as pregnancy is a uniquely female condition, storage company TrailerCare Holdings Ltd had discriminated against Deborah Healy on the grounds of gender. It heard how Ms Healy originally had a good working relationship with her manager when she took up employment as a personal assistant and bookkeeper in September 2007.
The relationship deteriorated after Ms Healy became pregnant and difficulties began to arise with hospital appointments and ill health as a result of the pregnancy.
Ms Healy was asked by the company to allow them to arrange her hospital appointments for her to better suit the company’s schedule. When she refused, she said her manager accused her of having a bad attitude.
The tribunal heard Ms Healy later contracted a pregnancy-related illness that would require her to use crutches, a condition for which no “reasonable accommodations” were made.
In September 2008, some 30 weeks into her pregnancy, Ms Healy was informed she was being made redundant.
A company representative told the tribunal this redundancy was a result of the recession and if Ms Healy had not been made redundant somebody else would have been. The firm claimed Ms Healy was chosen because her manager was capable of doing both jobs.
However, the tribunal summary of the case concluded that this statement by the company was not genuine. Equality officer Gary O’Doherty awarded Ms Healy €40,000 for discrimination and €10,000 for victimisation.