A Worker v A Massage Therapy Business [2023]
Decision Number: ADJ-00043225 Legal Body: Workplace Relations Commission
Published on: 08/05/2025
Article Authors The main content of this article was provided by the following authors.
Duncan Inverarity Former Partner & Head of Employment Law, A&L Goodbody LLP
Duncan Inverarity Former Partner & Head of Employment Law, A&L Goodbody LLP
Duncan inverarity 100x100

Duncan Inverarity is a former a partner and Head of A&L Goodbody's Employment Law group and practiced exclusively in the area of employment law and industrial relations in multiple jurisdictions. Duncan advised public and private sector employers on both contentious and non-contentious matters. He advised Board rooms across Ireland and abroad on strategic and complex employment and industrial relations matters. Duncan also specialised in crisis management for clients and advised on some of the most high profile corporate issues in Ireland. Duncan regularly appeared for clients in the Workplace Relations Commission, the Circuit Court, the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Duncan also acted for partnerships in mediated settlements and in proceedings in the High Court.

Complainant:
A Worker
Respondent:
A Massage Therapy Business
Summary

The complainant was a massage parlour worker who was dismissed after refusing to provide "sexual services" to her male boss and clients of the respondent.

Background

The complainant was a massage parlour worker who was dismissed after refusing to provide "sexual services" to her male boss and clients of the respondent. 

The managers of the massage parlour, an Irishman and a non-Irish woman, told her she "could say no" – but they "could assure her that she wouldn’t get more clients" if she refused. She "began to provide limited sexual services" but came under "pressure" to provide additional services despite telling management she didn’t want to do it. 

She returned from a fortnight’s holiday in early 2022 to discover

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Disclaimer The information in this article is provided as part of Legal Island's Employment Law Hub. We regret we are not able to respond to requests for specific legal or HR queries and recommend that professional advice is obtained before relying on information supplied anywhere within this article. This article is correct at 08/05/2025
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