An English company working for the ESB has been ordered by the Labour Court to pay a South African worker €5,000 for unfair dismissal.
The English-registered firm, Areva, told the court it did not employ the man. However, the worker believed his contract was with the company.
First employed in September 2003, the worker said his back was badly damaged when he was hit by the bucket of a JCB 15 months later. He received treatment from a doctor and returned to work for another two months.
After another visit to the doctor, he was given a 42-day sick certificate and returned to South Africa.
The company fired him because he was medically unfit.
