An employment agency was ordered to pay €7,000 compensation to a Polish woman who was racially discriminated after she applied for a job through the firm, the Equality Tribunal revealed today.
Borzena Czerski spotted an advert in the Western People for production operatives in August 2001 and after sending off her CV to the Ice Group she went for an interview.
She did not get the job. And despite promises that her details would be kept on file, Ms Czerski claimed a short while later staff at the Ice Group arrived at her work, APC Ireland, to recruit workers.
She did not go for an interview as she believed her details where on file and when some of her colleagues were picked for jobs ahead of her with APC she contacted the Ice Group to ask why she was not selected.
Ms Czerski claimed a member of staff at the agency informed her that APC Ireland was looking for men and the complainant only had one referee when two were needed.
Ice Group told the tribunal the woman was asked if she could supply a character reference and she said she could not. The agency said on those grounds it had no option but to turn down her application.
The Equality Tribunal ruled it was unfair to ask for a second reference due to her circumstances as an immigrant and length of time out of the working world.
Vivian Jackson, Equality Officer, said it was a case of indirect discrimination and ordered the Ice Group to pay Ms Czerski €7,000 compensation for the distress she suffered.
But she dismissed two other claims of direct discrimination on grounds of race and gender.