Recording exists to show worker was pressured to take Deloitte partner’s name out of HR complaint, WRC told

A recording exists supporting an allegation that a Deloitte employee was pressured to remove references to a partner in the firm from a formal HR complaint, the worker’s barrister has told an employment tribunal.Lawyers acting for Viviana Jakomin, who is pursuing a complaint of constructive dismissal against the Big Four accountancy firm at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), are seeking to introduce a transcript of the tape as evidence in the case. Brian Jackson, the Deloitte partner said to have been identified in the grievance, told the WRC on Wednesday he had “absolutely not” interfered in the investigation. He said Deloitte had “robust non-retaliation policies”. “As far as I’m aware, under no circumstances would anyone in the organisation break those,” he added. READ MOREJakomin quit the firm in November 2023, five years after starting as temporary maternity cover in its pool of personal assistants. The parties dispute the nature and seniority of Jakomin’s role in the business after she secured a permanent contract as an administrator. Jakomin’s legal team have said she was subject to “gaslighting” about her prospects for advancement to a management grade in the context of work as a project manager on audit work because of her past expertise in that field.The evidence presented on behalf of the company has been that Jakomin’s job description made project management-type tasks “stretch” goals, but that in reality her work was administrative. Jakomin would later tell the company during an internal grievance process that she believed she was “mis-sold a role” when she took the job, the tribunal was told. In a submission, counsel for the worker Eoin Morris BL, instructed by Crushell & Co Solicitors, said his client “was put under pressure to amend her grievance and remove references to Brian Jackson”. Counsel said he wished to introduce a transcript of the recording, which he said had been taken during a conversation between Jakomin and a person involved in investigating a workplace grievance she had raised. Jackson, Deloitte’s head of audit for financial services, was appointed chief operating officer in Ireland in January 2020, the WRC heard. Jackson’s evidence earlier this year was that Jakomin approached him in February 2020, asked him into a room and “just shouted at me” about being promoted to a management grade. “Viviana kept shouting over me: ‘No, no, no, no, promote me now,’” the partner said. “I said: ‘Viviana, if you are unwilling to listen to a single word I am going to say, you will never be promoted’,” Jackson told the tribunal earlier this year. The WRC heard that Jakomin complained about the interaction to Jackson’s boss, Michael Hartwell, who referred the matter to Deloitte’s human resources department, the tribunal heard. Jackson said he was made aware by HR there was a complaint against him. “Did HR ever make you aware that complaint was removed, that you were no longer a subject of the investigation?” Morris said. “Not that I can recall,” Jackson said. He said he struggled to see how Jakomin “could possibly have had a complaint” against him. He said he knew a remark had been attributed to him telling Jakomin “If you come up against me, you will never be promoted.”“That’s not something I’d said,” he told the WRC. Mr Morris said it arose in Jakomin’s direct evidence that she was “put under pressure to discount that part of her complaint” when she later pursued a workplace grievance. Harry Wall of IBEC, for the company, said that process was in 2023 and Jackson had “zero input”. “Did you ever interfere in the process?” Morris asked the witness. “Absolutely not,” Jackson said. “Do you accept Ms Jakomin’s position that somebody intervened and put pressure on her?” Morris said. “I don’t know,” Jackson said. “You understand there was a recording of a conversation where she was put under pressure,” Morris said. “He can’t know that,” said adjudication officer Penelope McGrath. “There is a recording of a conversation between Ms Jakomin and Deloitte where that is borne out, I’m putting it to you,” Morris told the witness. Jackson replied: “I’m not sure what you’re putting to me. We have the most robust non-retaliation policies and as far as I’m aware under no circumstances would anyone in the organisation break those, in any circumstances.”The case continues.