WRC orders school to pay €85,000 to teacher discriminated against on maternity leave

The Workplace Relations Commission ruled that teacher, Emily Williams, has been discriminated against on grounds of family status by the board of management of St Tola’s National School, Delvin, Co Westmeath. File picture: iStock

The board of management of a primary school in Westmeath has been ordered to pay €85,000 compensation to a teacher who was discriminated against while on maternity leave with “entirely inappropriate” remarks made by its principal during a job interview.

The Workplace Relations Commission ruled that teacher, Emily Williams, has been discriminated against on grounds of family status by the board of management of St Tola’s National School, Delvin, Co Westmeath. The WRC found that the board of management had breached the Employment Equality Act 1998 over its treatment of Ms Williams in relation to a series of appointments at the school last year.