School representative in Sligo learned about his redundancy when his wife read an email to him while he was sick in bed, according to the WRC statement
In an unprecedented turn of events, James Higgins, a sales representative for MH Gill & Co ULC, was informed of his redundancy in an unconventional manner last year. While he was ill and unable to meet his bosses or dial into a videoconference, an email regarding his dismissal was read to him by his wife in his sick bed.
The email, which was also sent to other affected representatives, was a part of a series of events that led to a hearing at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) earlier this week, where Mr. Higgins' complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 was considered. The decision on the case is yet to be announced by Adjudication Officer Patricia Owens.
The redundancy of Mr. Higgins, who had been employed by Gill since March 2014, was a result of the company incurring losses. According to Margaret Burns, the CEO of Gill's publisher, profits at the company declined sharply between 2021 and 2023, going from €1.4 million in profit to a loss of nearly €300,000.
Brian Curtin, a senior manager at Gill, defended the redundancy by stating that the company was in a difficult financial position and made a reasonable redundancy settlement. However, Mr. Higgins questioned how Gill could make losses while €160 million was "working its way back to publishers" under the State's school book programme.
The decision to make Mr. Higgins and another sales representative redundant was made "probably mid-June". The news of the redundancy was delivered via an email that was sent the day after a new Tuesday meeting, which only referred to "realignment of the northwest territory" and a "sales focus change".
In the aftermath of his redundancy, Mr. Higgins found himself cut off from all communications and had sales in the pipeline that needed to be finalized. He stated that he was expecting to have his annual review and go on annual leave when he was informed of his dismissal.
Since the redundancy, Mr. Higgins has found employment in the education sector for a food supplier. The sales representative position in Donegal, Sligo, and Leitrim, which Mr. Higgins previously held, is now filled through a combination of telesales and roadshows, with no dedicated sales representative in the region.
Ms. Burns acknowledged that the way the news was delivered to Mr. Higgins was not ideal, but defended it by stating that the email was also sent to inform other affected representatives. Despite this, Mr. Higgins has reported experiencing sarcastic and snide remarks from colleagues he encounters in public, referencing his job loss.
The outcome of the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 case against MH Gill & Co ULC by James Higgins is yet to be announced. The decision, which will be given in writing by Adjudication Officer Patricia Owens at a later stage, is eagerly awaited by all parties involved.
[1] The specific details about the final decision or ruling in the case are not available in the search results.
