A woman has told a court she applied for more than 60 jobs and failed after having been unfairly dismissed following "outrageous allegations" by her previous employer.
Margaret Worrell (57), Saggart, Co Dublin, said in the Circuit Civil Court that construction firm L. Behan and Sons, Rathcoole, Co Dublin, had accused her in a letter of attempting to obtain money by false pretences and lying.
Rosemary Mallon, for Ms Worrell, told Mr Justice Matthew Deery that the company was appealing against an award of €39,000 to her client by the Employment Appeals Tribunal. The company had recently dropped an appeal against a finding that it had unfairly dismissed Ms Worrall.
"Ms Worrall . . . felt she could not ask the company for a reference following a letter containing outrageous allegations of attempting to obtain money by false pretences," Ms Mallon said.
Ms Worrall said she had applied for more than 60 jobs and had been granted 18 interviews. Every time she had been asked why she left her previous employment she had answered honestly that she had been sacked and "there the interview ended" in each case.
Mr Justice Deery, affirming the €39,000 award, said the consequences of the behaviour of the company had seriously compromised Ms Worrall's attempts to get alternative employment.