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Equality

Discriminated woman awarded €100,000

The Equality Tribunal rules in favour of former hotel manager Denise Batt

A FORMER Dublin hotel manager has been awarded €100,000 in compensation for victimisation and gender discrimination at the Equality Tribunal.

The tribunal found that Denise Bratt, who worked at the Comfort Inn on Parnell Square in Dublin, between 2003 and 2007 was denied access to promotion, forced to take redundancy and was also under pressure to waive her right to take legal action.

Her employer had planned to open a new hotel nearby and Batt had been told she was a preferred candidate to run the hotel. However, when she returned from maternity leave her employer gave her a lesser role telling her she should “be relieved” as there would not be as much pressure on her. A colleague had been appointed as manager of the new  hotel, a job that Batt has not have the opportunity to interview for.

In July 2007, Batt told her employer she was pregnant. When the hotel changed owners in August, her new employers told her they would make her redundant. Batt was later hospitalised following the meeting due to blood pressure, her doctors also feared at the time that Batt may miscarry.

Two days later, Batt was released and allowed home, a supervisor called to her door and asked her to sign a legal waiver in exchange for redundancy. Batt refused and was sent redundancy papers the following day.

The tribunal found against Batt’s employers citing victimisation and gender discrimination.