Dunnes Stores has been reprimanded by the Labour Court for unfairly sacking a worker after hiring him eight days earlier. Awarding the man £500, the court said that the company should apologise to the man. The court heard that the man was employed at the Tender
Meats counter in the company's Clondalkin outlet in Co Dublin. He was told he would be on the Tender Meats' payroll, but that Dunnes Stores would pay him cash in the short term until the paperwork was completed.
The court was told that the manager of Tender Meats later told the worker he had not authorised Dunnes Stores to employ anyone on behalf of the firm. Subsequently, Dunnes Stores said it was terminating his employment because two of his references were not satisfactory. He had worked eight days and was given two weeks' pay.
The court found the worker had been employed by Dunnes, that it had adequate time to check his references and that it dismissed him without reason.
Dunnes Stores did not attend the hearing.