DECISION: A consultant working for Lucent Technologies in Dublin, who was made redundant shortly after becoming pregnant, has lost a case for unfair dismissal at the Employment Appeals Tribunal.
The tribunal found Lucent was entitled to make the claimant redundant and this decision was motivated by factors out of the control of the company, and not because she had become pregnant.
In its determination notice, the tribunal said the decision by Lucent to make the claimant, Ms Patricia Doran, redundant was made and executed in a "brutal fashion" with no negotiation. It also accepted that the company had to make difficult decisions during this period because of the downturn in the industry.
In evidence to the tribunal, Lucent's director for design and development in Dublin said the firm had reduced its worldwide employment numbers to 55,000 from 120,000.
He said the claimant's pregnancy was not connected in any way with her selection for redundancy. Rather the firm was examining how to cut costs. It had already implemented a travel ban and stopped graduate recruitment during 2001.
At a hearing in January, Ms Doran told the tribunal she felt her skills could have been redeployed for the company's benefit. She also said she had previously told the firm that she intended becoming pregnant and would be disposed towards working less.
At a meeting with managers where she learned of her redundancy, she said she had asked the human resource's manager how she would get another job as she was pregnant. She claimed to the tribunal that the manager had told her not to tell her new employer.
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