Sacked woman awarded €30,000 compensation

A WOMAN who suffered from an "adjustment disorder" after she was fired by a Galway medical devices firm has been awarded €30,…

A WOMAN who suffered from an "adjustment disorder" after she was fired by a Galway medical devices firm has been awarded €30,000 in compensation by an Employment Appeals Tribunal.

The tribunal found that Geraldine Burke of Ryehill, Abbeyknockmoy, Tuam, was unfairly dismissed by Boston Scientific, Ballybrit Business Park.

The tribunal was told Ms Burke was accused of compromising the firm's product labelling procedures and was dismissed in February 2005. In a determination issued yesterday, the tribunal said it could not find that Ms Burke was "afforded a fair opportunity to defend her position". "The tribunal recognises that the medical evidence presented leads it to find that the employee suffered an adjustment disorder as a result of the loss of her job, and the way in which she felt she was treated during the investigation process and in being dismissed," it said.

Ms Burke had not looked for a new job since the dismissal, claiming she had been unable to return to the workforce due to her sense of injustice at the way she had been treated.

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