Travelodge must pay €63,000 to receptionist

The Equality Tribunal has awarded a total of €63,000 to a Polish receptionist who, it found, was discriminated against on the ground of gender and race, and then victimised by her employer.

Sylwia Wach began working at Travelodge Waterford in 2007 as an accommodation assistant before becoming a receptionist a year later. She worked an average of 42.9 hours per week. In March 2011, she went on maternity leave, returning that September.

In her written submission to the tribunal, Ms Wach said when she returned to work, her hours had been reduced and another staff member had been brought in from Cork to do shifts.