A FORMER charity worker felt so undermined and stressed by her job that she had to hand in her notice, an Employment Appeals Tribunal heard yesterday.
Orla Church, Elm Mount Avenue, Beaumont, Dublin, claims she was constructively dismissed from her job by the children's rights organisation Unicef.
The charity, which runs its Irish operation from Great Strand Street, Dublin 1, said Ms Church, who worked as its greeting cards and gifts co-ordinator from February 2006 to June 2007, had offered her resignation and throughout her time with Unicef she was treated fairly.
Ms Church said "difficulties" in the job began in July 2006, when she encountered some "petty and unpleasant behaviour" from other staff members. She told the tribunal she had been made to feel "excluded" and that she was not given a fair chance to advertise her work on the Unicef website.
She said she sent an e-mail to management regarding the incidents. They told Ms Church a complaint had also been made against her for aggressive behaviour and that an investigation was being launched into her complaints.
Unicef's legal representative Oisin Quinn BL told the tribunal the charity took her complaints very seriously and decided to investigate when she brought a document about bullying to a meeting.
The tribunal heard that after the investigation Ms Church was warned about her punctuality and for contacting an incoming director regarding her work.
Ms Church did not deny she had been late on occasion, but said she usually had an explanation and had often worked late.
Tribunal chairman Mark O'Connell adjourned the case until Monday, May 26th.
