Crèche worker wins compensation over pregnancy harassment

A creche worker who was harassed after becoming pregnant has been awarded €15,000 over the abuse.

Louise Hennessy said the owners of the now-closed Cherub Creche criticised her, forced her to do difficult tasks and colleagues even suggested staff should not become pregnant.

Ms Hennessy, who kept a diary of her treatment, insisted the harassment began after she broke the news of her pregnancy to her employers in April 2004.

According to a report from the Equality Tribunal, colleagues at the creche also telephoned her GP in October that year, without her consent, to discuss her pregnancy;

They criticised her cleaning, as she found it difficult to wash down walls and skirting boards because of her pregnancy, and also her pre-Montessori teaching skills.

In a letter to the Tribunal, the mother said being vindicated was more important than financial compensation but Equality Officer Stephen Bonnlander said the extent of discrimination warranted a €15,000 payout.

In a separate decision, a Ukrainian woman was awarded €10,000 over her treatment by the Porturlin Shellfish Ltd, seafood factory in Mayo.

Nataliya Golovan worked for the firm from early 2004 to 2005 and was paid the minimum wage at the time of €280 a week.

The Equality Tribunal said the company discriminated against her as it kept her passport longer than necessary and did not give her basic tax documents such as P60 forms in a timely manner.

Officials rejected claims that she was forced to pay her supervisor €10 a week for a lift to work.