A chef has been awarded €3,000 by the Workplace Relations Commission after she was dismissed via WhatsApp from the cafe where she worked. In making the decision, it was ruled the cafe owner who sacked her had “jumped the gun”. Later that same day, she received a message from the employer by way of WhatsApp dismissing her with immediate effect and stating she could not work without a valid visa. The WRC said in its ruling: “The worker was dismissed by WhatsApp message without any meeting nor any fact-finding process. The decision taken on the same day as the employer’s WhatsApp message to contact Revenue amounted, for all intents and purposes, to a summary dismissal, conducted with no regard for fair procedures.

Source: Irish Examiner January 19, 2026 20:03 UTC