Charity director wins unfair dismissal case

The former director of the London Irish Centre as been awarded compensation of £46,537 after a tribunal found that she had been unfairly dismissed and had suffered sex discrimination.

Margaret Murnane was awarded the money to compensate for financial loss, injury to feelings, aggravated damages and personal injury.

Ms Murnane contacted her solicitors after she was sacked in May 2006, after her 17-year-old son used her work phone to call sex lines.

Although she originally won her employment tribunal claim earlier this year against the Board of Trustees of the charity and John Twomey, a coordinator, it was at this remedy hearing that she was awarded the compensation.

The 48-year-old was appointed director of the London Irish Centre in September 2004 and was the first ever female to take on the role. The tribunal heard that senior staff members could not accept that a woman had been put in charge.

Additionally, the panel found that Mr Twomey was so unhappy with her appointment that he lodged "vindictive and excessive" complaints about her, including claiming she had come to work intoxicated.

Trustees tried to force Ms Murnane resign over the "minor issue" of her son using the work phone to call up for sex chat. After she refused to leave, they suspended and subsequently fired her.

After the verdict, Ms Murnane said: "It has cost me money to clear my name but I have been vindicated."

Ms Murnane's solicitor, Rachel Lester, from Russell Jones & Walker commented: "The Tribunal's decision is a damning indictment of unfair and sexually discriminatory practices within this well-known charity and the devastating impact these have had on my client's career and livelihood."

Employees in Britain and Northern Ireland have every right to expect to work without discrimination and should take legal advice if they feel they are being treated unfairly.

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