Eddie Rockets has been directed to pay €5,000 in damages to a visually impaired Irish Paralympian after she was informed that her service dog was only permitted to sit at tables located at the front of the restaurant, reports Breaking News.
The Workplace Relations Commission determined that Eddie Rockets Ireland Limited violated the Equal Status Act 2000 by discriminating against Nadine Lattimore due to her disability.
Ms. Lattimore asserted that she experienced less favorable treatment because of her disability and was not given reasonable accommodations during her visit to the Eddie Rockets establishment on Parnell Street, Dublin on October 2nd, 2023.
The company did not dispute the claim and acknowledged that it had discriminated against Ms. Lattimore in violation of the law, reports Breaking News.
This marks the third successful discrimination case brought by Ms. Lattimore in the last six months; she represented Ireland in track and field at the Paralympics in London in 2012.
In July, the WRC mandated that the discount retailer, Dealz, compensate her with €7,000 for breaching the Equal Status Act, while Lidl was ordered to pay €2,000 in September.
In this most recent case, the WRC learned that Ms. Lattimore entered the restaurant at 12:45 pm with her clearly identifiable guide dog and waited to be seated, reports Breaking News.
Ms. Lattimore indicated that she was presented with a table near the entrance, but she requested a different table further inside because there wasn’t enough room for her dog at the one by the door.
She noted that the restaurant seemed quiet, and it was not a peak time, so she did not expect any issues, having previously sat at a table farther back from the entrance.
However, her request was denied on the grounds that her guide dog might disturb other patrons, reports Breaking News.
Ms. Lattimore stated that the server continued to insist she sit by the door even after she clarified that Pilot was a registered guide dog, not a pet.
The server informed her that she had been instructed that customers with dogs could only occupy that specific area of the restaurant. Ms. Lattimore indicated that the server refused to acknowledge her attempts to assert her rights, reports Breaking News.
The WRC heard that when she requested to speak to a manager, the server claimed to be the manager.
However, another staff member clarified that Ms. Lattimore had previously visited Eddie Rockets and was permitted to sit wherever she chose, reports Breaking News.
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