Sexual harassment awards system is unfair
€21,000 was the maximum that the Equality Authority was empowered to award because the woman was paid only €10,500 per year.
That is a mere 18 days pay for a government adviser, who could be awarded up to €345,600 if she was to win a case with the Equality Authority.
There is clearly no fairness in such disparities.
Awards should not be proportional to salary as it favours already well-off claimants and discriminates against those on low pay.
Similarly, the imposition of flat rate fines effectively discriminates against those on low incomes. A €1,000 fine obviously penalises an offender earning €10,000 a year much more that someone on €100,000.
In Finland, fines are imposed in proportion to offenders' pay, which means that the actual penalties are more equal regardless of income.
Shouldn't we adopt a similar system here, or will the well-off win out at the expense of the poor once again?
Dessie Ellis
19 Dunsink Road
Finglas
Dublin 11
