Wife of RTE's winking weatherman ordered to pay €38,000 damages
Sunday February 25 2007
THE wife of Ireland's longest-serving weather forecaster is at the centre of an embarrassing Employment Appeals Tribunal decision during which bullying and aggressive behaviour in the workplace was alleged.
Successful Co Wexford architect Mary Duggan, wife of RTE's iconic weather man Gerry Fleming, has been ordered to pay £38,000 in compensation to a former employee who won a case of constructive dismissal against her.
Mary Duggan was not accused of bullying, but she was the principal and manager of the firm where it was alleged to have taken place.
The case was taken by architectural technician Siobhan Coady of Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, against Mary Duggan & Partners, claiming she was subject to bullying and harassment in the firm Mary Duggan and Partners, Selskar, Wexford town.
The tribunal found that the claimant, Ms Coady, was denied her right to accept or to make telephone calls to clients other than responding at a particular time of day to a list of calls she was presented with.
Ms Coady was not allowed to type letters and there was excessive monitoring of her work.
The respondent, Mary Duggan and Partners, had no written discipline or grievance procedures.
The tribunal found that the respondent did not take effective action to resolve the situation existing within the employment and that Coady therefore lacked dignity in the workplace.
In particular, the tribunal noted that the absence of any proper disciplinary or grievance procedures within the company to comply with The Terms of Employment (Information) Acts, 1994 to 2001 will be fatal for therespondent in such cases.
