This article is from page 13 of the 2006-10-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
A SHANNON man has been awarded €45,000 after it was found that he was unfairly dismissed from his job for allegedly falsifying an expenses claim.
Pat Clune of Cronin Gardens in Shannon took his case to the Employment Appeals Tribunal after being fired from his post of 25 years at SPS International Ltd in Shannon Industrial Estate.
The tribunal learned that Clune was given €400 by management to take visitors and some of his own colleagues out for a meal and drinks in December 2002. But after the meal, one of the visitors paid the bill.
After being presented with an expenses sheet to fill out, Clune documented having spent €300 on a meal and €150 on drinks. Management became aware that there was a rumour that Clune had not paid for the meal and Clune was called to a meeting.
Company witnesses told the tribunal that Clune did not “come clean” about the situation and later said that the group had gone to a lap dancing club for which he could not produce receipts.
He later repaid €140 to the company.
Clune said that he had not been asked before to fill out an expenses form, nor did he get an opportunity to refute the allegations.
The tribunal found in his favour on the grounds that the company did not carry out a full and detailed investigation and that the employers treated Clune differently after evidence from another employee that he did not have to complete a claim form after travelling on company business.