Receptionist abused by boss awarded €25,000

A RECEPTIONIST subjected to a tirade of abuse by one of her bosses for allegedly starting a new job when she knew she was pregnant has been awarded €25,000 compensation.

The Employment Appeals Tribunal heard a manager at Dublin freight company Avant Shipping Agencies also described the woman as “a floozy and stay-at-home mother” during an office party in January 2007.

The tribunal ordered Avant to pay Lesley Richardson of Gleanna Alainn, Tullyallen, Co Louth, €25,000 after it ruled the incident was part of a “pattern of behaviour” within the firm to undermine her position.

The tribunal concluded Ms Richardson was constructively dismissed and the manager’s behaviour had amounted to gross misconduct.

The tribunal described the incident in which Ms Richardson was verbally assaulted as “extremely serious, despite the fact that alcohol had been consumed by the guilty party”.

Ms Richardson told the tribunal she joined the firm as a receptionist in October 2005 and was made permanent after a three-month probationary period.

However, she claimed her previously good working relationship with both her manager and Avant’s managing director changed significantly after she told them she was pregnant in February 2006.

She found it unusual that she was not congratulated on her pregnancy and the managing director became irrational toward her.

Ms Richardson claimed she and her partner were subjected to a tirade of abuse by the manager at the party in January 2007 even though she was on extended maternity leave.

“You get out of here now. You screwed us over, you knew you were pregnant when you started, you knew your dates to a tee,” the manager allegedly said.

Ms Richardson said the manager also described her as “a floozy and stay-at-home mother”. Under cross-examination, she was unable to say if he was drunk when the incident occurred at about 3am.

Ms Richardson’s partner told the tribunal he asked the manager what was said to upset his partner. The manager allegedly replied: “Only the f**king truth.”

Following the incident, Ms Richardson did not return to work as she was too upset by what had happened.

In evidence, Avant’s managing director — not named in the proceedings — said he was shocked to learn of the incident. The manager had told him he had no recollection of the incident but was very embarrassed about it.

In a ruling, the tribunal said it was entirely understandable that Ms Richardson had not engaged with the company’s grievance procedures “given the monstrous nature of the abuse she suffered”.

The tribunal said it regretted that Avant had not taken disciplinary measures against the manager over his treatment of Ms Richardson.