The complainant was a driver for the respondent company. He said that he was told by the owner of the company that he would have to take a driving test after starting. He claimed that he was told that it was a requirement that all non-Irish workers were required to take the test and this stipulation was placed on the respondent by its insurance company. He understood that if the foreign national drivers passed the driving test it reduced the cost of insurance for the respondent.

The respondent did not attend the hearing to refute the claims. The EO found, "...the benefit of the complainant passing the driving test is primarily for the respondent, as it reduces its insurance cost. And secondly, the complainant worked for the respondent for over a year and a half after passing the driving test. It is not as if the respondent had to incur a cost for a worker which moved on shortly after it had invested in him and got no or little return. Accordingly, I find the respondent's practice of passing on the cost of the driving test unfair and discriminatory in the circumstances of this case."

He awarded €1,000 compensation.

http://www.equalitytribunal.ie/Database-of-Decisions/2011/Employment-Equality-Decisions/DEC-E2011-151-Full-Case-Report.html