Accounts assistant dismissed after announcing pregnancy

An accounts assistant who was dismissed from her job days after informing a company she was pregnant, has been awarded €52,000 after the Equality Tribunal found that her dismissal amounted to discrimination on the grounds of gender.

Lorraine Byrne had been working for Dewar Estates Ltd (in liquidation) in March 2013. Shesaid in June 2013, she was given a pay rise and the pay review document ranked her as “excellent” in five categories and described the firm as “very happy” with her performance.

On August 16, 2013, an issue arose over an invoice issued to one of the respondent’s clients. Ms Byrne gave evidence she felt uncomfortable about issuing the invoice as the returns were not complete.