THE EMPLOYMENT Appeals Tribunal has reserved judgment in a case involving a senior architect who alleged he was bullied out of his job of 20 years and made redundant without any prior notice.
Donal O'Connell (51), of Summerville Park, Rathmines, Dublin, claimed he was unfairly dismissed by Salmon Hynes Associates of Crofton Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, on May 18th last year, and is seeking compensation for his loss.
The firm - it included the claimant and two respondents - claimed a property market downturn prompted the redundancy.
Mr O'Connell told the tribunal that in the years prior to his dismissal he had been marginalised and excluded by the two partners in the firm, having originally been hired in 1988 with his understanding that he would be made an associate.
He said that from 2002 hostility towards him increased. He alleged he was made "to run around and beg for a salary review each year", and was increasingly "sidelined" from projects he had designed.
He claimed his role was misrepresented to clients and his work minimised. From 2002 he said he felt like "they wanted me out".
In his evidence, John Salmon said the business had been affected by the cancellation of two large projects worth €4 million, and no further work was coming on-stream, adding that it was difficult to find work for the two principal partners.
Cathy Maguire, for Salmon Hynes and Associates, stressed the case represented a genuine redundancy at a time when there was a clear drop in company earnings.
Mr O'Connell's representative, Stephen O'Sullivan, said his client was bullied and harassed. Redundancy was used as an excuse to dismiss him, and he was given no opportunity to discuss how his job could be saved.
Chairman of the tribunal Peter J O'Leary reserved a decision.