Tomasz's Fight Against Workplace Discrimination
How a Dublin warehouse manager proved he was being overlooked because of his nationality
Tomasz came to Ireland from Poland in 2015 looking for a fresh start. He found work at a distribution warehouse in Dublin and threw himself into the job. Year after year, he stayed late when deliveries ran behind. He mentored newer team members. He had the best safety record on the floor. By 2021, he'd been there six years and was the most senior person among the shift supervisors.
When overtime opportunities came up, Tomasz noticed something strange. Younger Irish colleagues would get offered the extra shifts. He'd ask his manager about it, and the answer was always vague—"we're rotating who gets called in" or "someone else was available." But the pattern was clear. Over eighteen months, Tomasz was offered overtime just four times, while his Irish counterparts averaged two or three calls per month.
The real breaking point came when a new, junior Irish employee got promoted to a supervisory role ahead of Tomasz. That's when he decided to speak to an employment solicitor. With help, he documented everything: the overtime rosters, the emails, his performance reviews. The evidence showed that he was being systematically excluded from opportunities purely because he was Polish.
The case went to the Workplace Relations Commission. The investigation found that Tomasz had been treated less favourably because of his race and national origin. His employer had no legitimate business reason for the pattern. They'd broken Irish employment law. Tomasz reached a settlement that included compensation, a formal apology, and an agreement to review their hiring and scheduling practices.
What the Law Says
Irish equality law protects workers from discrimination based on race, colour, national origin, and other protected grounds. This covers everything from hiring and promotion to the day-to-day treatment at work, including access to overtime and training. If you can show a pattern of less favourable treatment based on a protected characteristic, and your employer can't give a lawful reason, that's discrimination. You have the right to complain to the Workplace Relations Commission, which can order compensation and other remedies.
Important Time Limits
You have six months from the date of the treatment you're complaining about to lodge a claim with the Workplace Relations Commission. If the discrimination is ongoing (like repeated unfair treatment over time), the clock resets with each incident. However, don't wait. Evidence gets harder to gather as time passes, witnesses move on, and memories fade. If you believe you're being discriminated against at work, speak to an employment solicitor as soon as possible. They can help you understand your rights and make sure you don't miss any deadlines.