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From: "Graphite HRM" <update@graphite-communications.com>
To: <bob@sarahharvey.com>
Subject: Unfair dismissal, maternity discrimination, minimum pay rises and more | Key updates for your business
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2025 11:28:04 +0100
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Your 2024 Employment Law Roundup is here
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Hi Robert,


Welcome to your latest HR and employment law update with Graphite.

We’ve got a variety of different topics and updates for you this month, 
including new EU gender representation regulations, maternity 
discrimination, unfair dismissals, and a possible minimum pay rise in the 
childcare sector.

Read on to learn more about these key updates, and the impact they may have 
on your business and employees.




Ex-Coca Cola employee awarded €68,000 for maternity discrimination

Coca Cola was recently found to be in breach of the Employment Equality Act 
1998, after an employee was given a different role upon returning from 
maternity leave, reminding us that, no matter how large the organisation is, 
every business is susceptible to discrimination claims and legal disputes if 
HR processes are not handled compliantly.

The employee, who had been working with Coca Cola for approximately six 
years, returned from maternity leave in January 2024. She told the Workplace 
Relations Commission (WRC) that she had believed she would be returning to 
the same role upon her return.

Having been on maternity leave for one year and 21 days due to 
pregnancy-related health issues, the complainant told the WRC that she found 
out about the new role on a call with her manager, the Friday before she was 
due to return. She claims that her manager told her “You won’t be returning 
to your role. We’re looking for you to return to a new role”. She also 
stated that there was a team meeting later that day, where her manager 
announced to attendees that she would be starting back in a new role and 
moving to a different team.

The manager, on the other hand, told the WRC that he and the complainant 
were working through the role change process together, and that a formal 
offer had not yet been made. He claimed that he had intended to meet with 
the complainant upon her return, but that he was very busy on her first day 
back.

The employee called in sick on her second day back, due to stress, and did 
not return to work prior to resigning in March 2024.

The WRC adjudicator in the case found that, while the grade and pay were the 
same for both roles, the new role “constituted a demotion for the 
complainant”. She stated that it was overwhelmingly likely that the employer 
had already decided on the role change before the complainant returned to 
work and had no intention of providing her with options. She also concluded 
that the employee had been discriminated against on the grounds of gender 
and awarded €68,000 for breach of the Employment Equality Act 1998.



Labour Court to hear X’s appeal in record-breaking unfair dismissal case

The Labour Court has scheduled a three-day hearing at the end of July, where 
it will hear an appeal from Elon Musk’s company, X, against a ruling that it 
must pay a record-breaking unfair dismissal award of €550,131 to an 
ex-employee.

The initial ruling took place last August, when the Workplace Relations 
Commission (WRC) found that the ex-employee, former Director of Source to 
Pay, had been unfairly dismissed by Twitter when he failed to reply to Elon 
Musk’s ‘Fork in the Road’ email.

The ‘Fork in the Road’ email was sent to Twitter employees in November 2022, 
detailing an “extremely hardcore” Twitter 2.0 which would involve long 
hours, high intensity, and a need for exceptional performance. Employees 
were asked to click “yes” in response to the email if they wished to be part 
of the ‘new Twitter’.

When the employee in this case opted not to click “yes”, he received a 
second email from the company "to acknowledge your decision to resign and 
accept the voluntary separation offer". The employee then emailed his 
employer saying, “at no time have I indicated to Twitter that I am resigning 
my position, nor have I seen any separation agreement let alone accepted 
 one”.

In the WRC ruling last August, the adjudicator in the case found that 
Twitter International UC (now known as X Internet Unlimited Company) 
unfairly dismissed the employee and awarded a record-breaking €550,131 in 
damages. The upcoming hearing will reassess the details of the case and the 
amount awarded to the ex-employee.


New gender balance regulations for Irish listed companies

The European Union (Gender Balance on Boards of Certain Companies) 
Regulations 2025 have now been implemented into Irish law, introducing new 
legal obligations for listed companies regarding gender representation at 
board level.

These regulations mean that, by June 2026, affected employers will be 
required to review, and possibly alter, the composition of their board, 
recruitment practices, and procedures.

Who is affected?

The regulations apply to companies registered in Ireland whose shares are 
admitted to trading on a regulated market in at least one EU member state. 
They do not apply to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or 
unlisted companies.

Gender representation targets

By June 2026, listed companies must meet one of the following targets:



*	At least 40% of non-executive director positions are to be held by members 
of the under-represented sex
*	At least 33% of all director positions, whether executive or 
non-executive, are to be held by the under-represented sex.


Affected companies must clearly document how they plan to meet these 
targets, including outlining recruitment processes and selection criteria 
for board members.

It should be noted that, only where candidates are equally qualified, should 
priority be given to the underrepresented sex.


Reporting obligations


From 2026 onwards, eligible companies will have to submit annual reports 
each year with a breakdown of gender representation at board level, 
distinguishing between executive and non-executive roles, as well as a 
summary of the actions taken to meet the gender balance targets.




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<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">=20
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">
 Hi&nbsp;Robert,=20
<br />=20
<br />=20
</div>=20
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">
 Welcome to your latest HR and employment law update with Graphite.=20
<br />=20
<br />We=E2=80=99ve got a variety of different topics and updates for =
you this month, including new EU gender representation regulations, =
maternity discrimination, unfair dismissals, and a possible minimum pay =
rise in the childcare sector.=20
<br />=20
<br />Read on to learn more about these key updates, and the impact they =
may have on your business and employees.=20
<br />=20
<span style=3D"font-size: 16px;"><strong><span style=3D"color: =
#57b04a;"><br /></span></strong></span>=20
</div>=20
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">=20
<span style=3D"font-size: 16px;"><strong><span style=3D"color: =
#57b04a;"></span></strong></span>=20
<br />=20
</div>=20
<span style=3D"font-size: 16px;"><strong><span style=3D"color: =
#57b04a;">Ex-Coca Cola employee awarded =E2=82=AC68,000 for maternity =
discrimination&nbsp;</span></strong></span>=20
<br />=20
<br />Coca Cola was recently found to be in breach of the Employment =
Equality Act 1998, after an employee was given a different role upon =
returning from maternity leave, reminding us that, no matter how large =
the organisation is, every business is susceptible to discrimination =
claims and legal disputes if HR processes are not handled compliantly.=20
<br />=20
<br />The employee, who had been working with Coca Cola for =
approximately six years, returned from maternity leave in January 2024. =
She told the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) that she had believed =
she would be returning to the same role upon her return.=20
<br />=20
<br />Having been on maternity leave for one year and 21 days due to =
pregnancy-related health issues, the complainant told the WRC that she =
found out about the new role on a call with her manager, the Friday =
before she was due to return. She claims that her manager told her =
=E2=80=9CYou won=E2=80=99t be returning to your role. We=E2=80=99re =
looking for you to return to a new role=E2=80=9D. She also stated that =
there was a team meeting later that day, where her manager announced to =
attendees that she would be starting back in a new role and moving to a =
different team.=20
<br />=20
<br />The manager, on the other hand, told the WRC that he and the =
complainant were working through the role change process together, and =
that a formal offer had not yet been made. He claimed that he had =
intended to meet with the complainant upon her return, but that he was =
very busy on her first day back.=20
<br />=20
<br />The employee called in sick on her second day back, due to stress, =
and did not return to work prior to resigning in March 2024.=20
<br />=20
<br />The WRC adjudicator in the case found that, while the grade and =
pay were the same for both roles, the new role =E2=80=9Cconstituted a =
demotion for the complainant=E2=80=9D. She stated that it was =
overwhelmingly likely that the employer had already decided on the role =
change before the complainant returned to work and had no intention of =
providing her with options. She also concluded that the employee had =
been discriminated against on the grounds of gender and awarded =
=E2=82=AC68,000 for breach of the Employment Equality Act 1998.=20
<br />=20
<br />=20
<div>=20
<br />=20
</div>=20
<span style=3D"font-size: 16px;"><strong><span style=3D"color: =
#57b04a;">Labour Court to hear X=E2=80=99s appeal in record-breaking =
unfair dismissal case </span></strong></span>=20
<br />=20
<br />The Labour Court has scheduled a three-day hearing at the end of =
July, where it will hear an appeal from Elon Musk=E2=80=99s company, X, =
against a ruling that it must pay a record-breaking unfair dismissal =
award of =E2=82=AC550,131 to an ex-employee.=20
<br />=20
<br />The initial ruling took place last August, when the Workplace =
Relations Commission (WRC) found that the ex-employee, former Director =
of Source to Pay, had been unfairly dismissed by Twitter when he failed =
to reply to Elon Musk=E2=80=99s =E2=80=98Fork in the Road=E2=80=99 =
email.=20
<br />=20
<br />The =E2=80=98Fork in the Road=E2=80=99 email was sent to Twitter =
employees in November 2022, detailing an =E2=80=9Cextremely =
hardcore=E2=80=9D Twitter 2.0 which would involve long hours, high =
intensity, and a need for exceptional performance. Employees were asked =
to click =E2=80=9Cyes=E2=80=9D in response to the email if they wished =
to be part of the =E2=80=98new Twitter=E2=80=99.=20
<br />=20
<br />When the employee in this case opted not to click =
=E2=80=9Cyes=E2=80=9D, he received a second email from the company "to =
acknowledge your decision to resign and accept the voluntary separation =
offer". The employee then emailed his employer saying, =E2=80=9Cat no =
time have I indicated to Twitter that I am resigning my position, nor =
have I seen any separation agreement let alone accepted one=E2=80=9D.=20
<br />=20
<br />In the WRC ruling last August, the adjudicator in the case found =
that Twitter International UC (now known as X Internet Unlimited =
Company) unfairly dismissed the employee and awarded a record-breaking =
=E2=82=AC550,131 in damages. The upcoming hearing will reassess the =
details of the case and the amount awarded to the ex-employee.=20
<br />=20
<br />=20
<br />=20
<span style=3D"font-size: 16px;"><strong><span style=3D"color: =
#57b04a;">New gender balance regulations for Irish listed companies =
&nbsp;</span></strong></span>=20
<br />=20
<br />The European Union (Gender Balance on Boards of Certain Companies) =
Regulations 2025 have now been implemented into Irish law, introducing =
new legal obligations for listed companies regarding gender =
representation at board level.=20
<br />=20
<br />These regulations mean that, by June 2026, affected employers will =
be required to review, and possibly alter, the composition of their =
board, recruitment practices, and procedures.=20
<br />=20
<br />=20
<span style=3D"font-size: 14px;"><strong><span style=3D"color: =
#57b04a;">Who is affected?</span></strong></span>=20
<br />=20
<br />The regulations apply to companies registered in Ireland whose =
shares are admitted to trading on a regulated market in at least one EU =
member state. They do not apply to micro, small and medium-sized =
enterprises (SMEs) or unlisted companies.=20
<br />=20
<br />=20
<span style=3D"color: #253143; font-family: averta, sans-serif; =
font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; =
orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; =
widows: 2;=20
word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; =
background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; =
text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span =
style=3D"color: #253143; font-family: averta, sans-serif; font-size: =
14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing:=20
normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; =
text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: =
#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: =
initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><strong><span style=3D"color: =
#57b04a;">Gender representation targets<br /><br /></span></strong><span =
style=3D"color: #57b04a;"><span style=3D"color: #000000;">By June 2026, =
listed companies must meet one of the following targets: =
</span></span><span style=3D"color: #57b04a;"><br /><br =
/></span></span></span>=20
<ul>=20
<li><span style=3D"color: #253143; font-family: averta, sans-serif; =
font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; =
orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; =
widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff;=20
text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; =
text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style=3D"color: #57b04a;"><span =
style=3D"color: #000000;">At least 40% of non-executive director =
positions are to be held by members of the under-represented =
sex</span></span></span></li>=20
<li><span style=3D"color: #253143; font-family: averta, sans-serif; =
font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; =
orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; =
widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff;=20
text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; =
text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style=3D"color: #57b04a;"><span =
style=3D"color: #000000;">At least 33% of all director positions, =
whether executive or non-executive, are to be held by the =
under-represented sex. </span></span></span></li>=20
</ul>=20
<span style=3D"color: #253143; font-family: averta, sans-serif; =
font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; =
orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; =
widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff;=20
text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; =
text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style=3D"color: #57b04a;"><br =
/><span style=3D"color: #000000;">Affected companies must clearly =
document how they plan to meet these targets, including outlining =
recruitment processes and selection criteria for board members. =
</span><br /><br /><span style=3D"color: #000000;">It should be noted =
that, only where candidates are equally qualified, should priority be =
given to the underrepresented sex.</span></span></span>=20
</div>=20
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">=20
<span style=3D"color: #253143; font-family: averta, sans-serif; =
font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; =
orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; =
widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
white-space: normal;=20
background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; =
text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span =
style=3D"color: #57b04a;"><span style=3D"color: =
#000000;"></span></span></span>=20
</div>=20
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">=20
<span style=3D"color: #253143; font-family: averta, sans-serif; =
font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; =
orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; =
widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
white-space: normal;=20
background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; =
text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span =
style=3D"color: #57b04a;"><span style=3D"color: =
#000000;"></span></span></span>=20
<br />=20
</div>=20
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">=20
<strong style=3D"color: #253143; font-family: averta, sans-serif; =
font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; =
text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; =
word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal;=20
text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; =
text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style=3D"color: #57b04a;" =
mce-data-marked=3D"1">Reporting obligations&nbsp;</span></strong>=20
</div>=20
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">=20
<strong style=3D"color: #253143; font-family: averta, sans-serif; =
font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; =
text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; =
word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal;=20
text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; =
text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style=3D"color: #57b04a;" =
mce-data-marked=3D"1"></span></strong>=20
</div>=20
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">=20
<strong style=3D"color: #253143; font-family: averta, sans-serif; =
font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; =
text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; =
word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal;=20
text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; =
text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style=3D"color: #57b04a;" =
mce-data-marked=3D"1"></span></strong>=20
<br />=20
</div>=20
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">=20
<span style=3D"color: #000000;"><span mce-data-marked=3D"1">From 2026 =
onwards, eligible companies will have to submit annual reports each year =
with a breakdown of gender representation at board level, distinguishing =
between executive and non-executive roles, as well as a summary of the =
actions taken to meet the gender balance targets. </span></span>=20
</div>=20
</div> </td>=20
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