Former employee at Wilson’s Hospital School awarded €7,500 for unfair dismissal
A former maths teacher employed in supervisor and accounts jobs in Wilson’s Hospital School has been awarded €7,500 after he won a case of unfair dismissal against the school.The Co Westmeath school, which has gained international attention due to protests by its former teacher Enoch Burke, has faced a number of complaints from former staff in the past year.In the latest case before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), George Forbes said he was first hired as an accounts manager.He said the school commenced a review of its financial position and considered cost-cutting measures – including redundancies – before he was advised his role no longer existed.READ MOREI Am Not an Alcoholic: I never envisaged life would be so hardGardaí say main suspect in Killarney murder inquiry has fled IrelandDublin man who murdered American nurse is jailed for 14 years in HungaryMet Éireann issues heat warning for 12 counties with temperatures set to soarAfter working out his notice period of four weeks, Forbes was asked to do further work on redundancy payments for other staff.While working his notice, he was told about a job providing supervision for fifth- and sixth-year students. He was handed a contract for a 19-hour job paying €18.90 an hour. However, Forbes complained there was a “marked, negative and unexplained shift” in how he was being treated by the school. He felt “sidelined”, with other staff being less communicative and “more dismissive” without explanation. After two weeks in the role, he was told not to come into work. He was also removed from the work WhatsApp group.Forbes said he was dismissed without reason, explanation, consultation, investigation or warning. This came as a “shock” as he was told he was performing well. He said the dismissal caused him considerable stress and financial loss. The school argued that Forbes was out of time to bring a case about the accounts manager position, and that he did not have sufficient continuous service to bring an unfair dismissal case over his supervisor job.The school asked for his case to be dismissed on jurisdiction grounds. However, the WRC accepted Forbes’ contention his employment was continuous and should not be regarded as fragmented.It found there was no dispute about how the termination came about. Forbes’ dismissal was found to be a breach of fair procedures and was “arbitrary and unreasonable”. Forbes was “not afforded any disciplinary process” and was not furnished with charges or complaints, nor given the opportunity to have representation, attend a hearing, or a right of appeal.The school had not demonstrated that the dismissal was fair. The WRC granted Forbes an award of €7,500 after finding he had not made efforts to find other work.The Irish Times has learned that six former staff from the school have taken WRC cases against it over the past two years. Rulings are outstanding in two cases while two were withdrawn before a hearing.In a judgment issued earlier this year, Siobhán Reynolds, the school’s former head of facilities, lost a case she brought over alleged bullying for making a series of protected disclosures over financial irregularities at the school.Recently filed accounts show the school’s insurance bill increased by 112 per cent from €65,230 to €138,966 in 2024. The school’s legal and professional costs increased from €47,422 to €310,651.The school was approached for comment.
