WRC upholds complaint under the Equal Status Act – a reminder that all businesses must ensure inclusive, non-discriminatory service
A Dublin-based beauty salon has been ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to pay €1,500 in compensation after a mother and her two daughters were subjected to discriminatory treatment on the basis of their membership of the Traveller community.
In a ruling published this week, the WRC found that the salon treated the family less favourably than other customers by:
- Demanding upfront cash payments
- Using aggressive and accusatory language
- Delaying service despite payment
- And doing so in a way that was not applied to settled community customers
Key Facts of the Case
- Complainants: Ms A and her two daughters (represented by FLAC)
- Respondent: An anonymised beauty salon
- Grounds for complaint: Discrimination under the Equal Status Act 2000
- Incident: Insistence on cash payment up front, verbal aggression, queue delay, and suggestion they were associated with non-paying Traveller customers
- Compensation awarded: €500 each to the mother and her daughters = €1,500 total
What Went Wrong
1. Inconsistent Payment Policy
Only the Traveller family was told they must pay in full, in cash, before services were provided. Other customers were not treated this way, and staff confirmed this when asked.
Best Practice: Service providers must apply payment terms consistently to all customers. Selective enforcement may amount to discrimination.
2. Aggressive and Accusatory Language
The salon owner was reported to have slammed the counter and said words to the effect of:
“Do you want it for free? Are you trying to rob me?”
She also threatened to call the Gardaí, which added to the distress experienced by the family including two underage girls.
Best Practice: Language used in customer service should remain professional and respectful at all times, regardless of perceived background or risk.
3. Discriminatory Association
Staff indicated that the reason for their treatment was due to a previous incident involving other Traveller customers, effectively profiling the complainants based on ethnicity, not behaviour.
Best Practice: Businesses must treat each individual customer on their own merits, not based on assumptions, stereotypes, or past unrelated incidents.
4. Failure to Engage with the WRC
The salon did not attend the WRC hearing, missing the opportunity to present a defence or explanation.
Best Practice: Always engage fully with WRC processes. Non-attendance often results in uncontested decisions and reputational damage.
Key Takeaway for Employers and Business Owners
Equal treatment isn’t optional, it’s a legal requirement.
Under the Equal Status Act 2000, businesses providing goods or services must not discriminate on any of the nine protected grounds, including membership of the Traveller community.
This case reinforces that:
- Payment and service policies must be uniformly applied
- Stereotyping is unacceptable and legally actionable
- Respectful treatment is fundamental in customer service
- Non-engagement with WRC hearings can lead to automatic liability
How Bloom Consultancy Can Help
We support businesses with:
- Anti-discrimination policy development
- Staff training on Equal Status obligations
- Representation and guidance for WRC complaints
- Reviews of customer service protocols for legal compliance
This article is based on public decisions of the Workplace Relations Commission and reported case summaries from Irish media sources. It is intended as a commentary on HR compliance issues relevant to employers and HR professionals in Ireland.