A former employee with tyre company Bridgestone Ireland Ltd has been awarded €45,000 by the Employment Appeals Tribunal after he was found to have been unfairly dismissed for allegedly fabricating overtime payment claims.
Douglas Doyle, who operated as a tyre fitter and inspector at the company’s dealership in Donnybrook, Dublin, was fired in July 2009.
A supervisor had noted Mr Doyle’s absence from the garage in June when he would have been expected to be working overtime hours to cover for a colleague taking holiday leave.
The tribunal acknowledged Mr Doyle had left his work station without notifying management, but found the company’s investigative and disciplinary procedures were somewhat lacking.