Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he would "prefer not to comment" on a rule at a JD Sports store where workers have been told that they must lift their tops and "show their stomach areas" to prove they have not stolen goods.
The search rule, in place at JD Sports on Patrick Street in Cork, has been causing issues among workers with one source telling CorkBeo recently in an exclusive report that it "felt like they were treating us like animals".
While a rule has been in place for some time on checking bags and jackets upon leaving, recently management began giving "refresher training" as security was ramped up as the threat of theft increased.
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Although the searches do not involve physical touching, workers are told to empty their bags, take off their jackets and lift their tops to show their stomachs to a manager before leaving. They can also be told to roll up their trouser legs and sleeves as well as roll their socks down.
The issue was raised before the Dail by Cork TD Mick Barry who said there "is a real power imbalance here."
"Workers at the JD Sports in Cork have had to regularly lift their tops and show their bare stomach area to store managers. The store says that the policy is part of its campaign against shoplifting," he said.
“They already have the right to search bags and jackets when workers leave the shop. There is a real power imbalance here."
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stated that he was unable to comment on the JD Sports policy "without knowing all the facts."
"I prefer not to comment on the issue in relation to JD Sports," he said.
"I am not aware of the instances that are happening. The first I heard of it was now, it may be the case that there’s already labour law or other laws that cover this area.
"I just am not able to comment on that without knowing all the facts, or knowing what the current legal position may already be."
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