E-mail this to a friendBinman unfairly dismissed
Published 02/10/2007
A binman who was sacked after his employers hired a private investigator to follow him has been awarded €15,000 (£10,459) compensation for unfair dismissal, the Irish Independent reports.
Joseph Murphy, who had worked for Galway City Council, was fired in November 2004 after the detective photographed him driving a van to make a delivery for a friend, despite having taken time off work because he could not stand.
Mr Murphy suffers from planar fascitis, a painful inflammatory condition caused by excessive wear to the foot.
He was not in work because the condition prevented him from standing, however, it did not prevent him from driving or lifting.
An employment appeals tribunal found the council had failed to establish that the delivery made by Mr Murphy constituted work.
Commenting on his employer's actions, he stated: "I couldn't believe it when I discovered the council had hired a detective … It was way over the top."
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