Woman ‘forced out of job’ after split with husband gets €26,500

A WIFE called ‘vermin’ and ‘being like a cancer’ by her estranged husband has been awarded €26,500 against the man’s firm for her unfair dismissal.

In the case before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), the woman also said that she was forced out of her job after being subjected to “a vicious and vindictive campaign” by her ex-husband’s firm.

The woman’s husband is a director of the firm and shortly after the two separated in 2013, the woman said that the campaign of intimidation against her by her husband’s firm commenced.

The woman had started working for her husband’s company in 1994 and performed a number of tasks including wages, banking, invoicing, debt collection, receptionist and typist duties.

The woman – who is not named – told a WRC hearing that the campaign of intimidation against her took place between January 2014 and September 2015.

In the woman’s evidence, she referred to 37 instances where this intimidation occurred, her husband telling her that his New Year’s resolution was to get rid of her, referring to the woman as vermin and being like a cancer and accusing her of robbing him of his money and referring to her as a thief.

The wife said that the intimidation continued until March 16, 2015 when she was unable to attend because she was suffering from stress and anxiety.

The woman returned to work but the intimidation continued through April, May and September 2015.

Problems continued to persist and the woman resigned from her post and claimed constructive dismissal.

The husband told the hearing that the circumstances surrounding the case should be viewed in the context of marital breakdown.