Hotel worker on four-year suspension told position now redundant

Livern Barrett, Senior Staff Reporter

Marlon McLeod, the Iberostar Rose Hall Beach Hotel employee who had been on suspension for almost four years, returned to work this morning on the demand of his bosses, only to get a letter advising that his position has been made redundant.

McLeod was the assistant public relations manager at the St James-based hotel.

"Given the passage of time, the hotel had no option but to fill the position as assistant PR manager. Regrettably, we have no suitable vacancies available at this time," read a section of the letter, signed by director of human resources, Dr G Anthony Ferguson and Philip Hofer, the director of operations.

The letter further said, as a consequence, "We have no choice but to terminate your employment by reason of redundancy effective immediately."

Last week, the hotel, through its attorney Gavin Goffe, wrote to McLeod’s attorney Lorenzo Eccleston saying the suspension would be lifted effective January 13, 2020.

McLeod was suspended without pay on February 2, 2016, over allegations of fraud at the luxury resort in Montego Bay.

But according to Eccleston, in June 2017, he received a letter from Police Commissioner George Quallo indicating that there was no ongoing investigation involving his client.

READ: Worker battles Iberostar Hotel over four-year suspension

The fraud related to an incident in which the credit card of a guest was compromised.

A second employee charged in the matter was freed when the case was dismissed as the guest did not return to the island to give evidence.

Meanwhile, in the letter presented to McLeod this morning, Iberostar said he would receive a severance package of $292,230 plus $112, 070 for four weeks’ payment in lieu of vacation leave.

"This is the same sum you would have been entitled to receive had your suspension been lifted by the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) and you were subsequently made redundant," the hotel officials wrote.

He has been given seven days to respond and promised payment within 21 days, once there is a settlement.

Goffe has told The Gleaner that with the suspension lifted, the IDT will be informed that the dispute “has ceased to exist”.

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