Manager claims she was bullied out of job

ONE of the country’s largest providers of services to people with learning disabilities is facing a second bullying controversy in just 12 months.

A former manager of an employment centre run by St Michael’s House in Dublin is claiming she was forced out of her job as a result of being bullied over an 18-month period.

A sitting of the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) in Dublin next Friday will hear claims by Louise McCormack that the bullying escalated after she had made a formal complaint to St Michael’s chief executive, Paul Ledwidge. St Michael’s House is expected to vigorously reject the claims made by Ms McCormack at the hearing, scheduled to last six days.

This is the second case to come before the EAT in the past 12 months in which claims of constructive dismissal as a result of alleged bullying have been made by former employees of St Michael’s House.

Last year, a clinical psychologist, Dr Mark Harrold, took action amid claims of bullying by management at St Michael’s House after he raised concerns about the transfer of some of its patients to the controversial Leas Cross nursing home in Swords, Co Dublin.

However, the EAT ruled last month that Dr Harrold acted unreasonably in terminating his employment contract with St Michael’s and that he has failed to engage with the internal complaints procedures open to him within the organisation.

It is understood Ms McCormack, who worked at St Michael’s House for 26 years, will claim that she endured an escalating campaign of bullying that included verbal abuse by a senior manager, threats of legal action and intimidating references to Dr Harrold’s case following her appointment as manager of Northbrook Industries in September 2004.

Ms McCormack maintains that there was constant interference which undermined her role as manager.

She is also expected to accuse St Michael’s House of failing to follow its own bullying procedures and of failing to provide her with a safe place of work.