Ireland.. An employee complains that his responsibilities have been reduced to the point that he receives a full salary for "nothing."

An Irish finance director for Ireland's national railway network claims he earns nearly $130,000 a year for eating lunch and reading newspapers all day.

Although most people wouldn't complain about getting paid to do nothing, for Dermot Mills, an Irish Rail employee, it is like "discrimination".

Mills, the chief financial officer, claims that after he reported some problems at work in 2014, he was gradually relieved of almost all his duties, to the point where he spends most of his days eating lunch and reading the papers.

His usual salary is still paid to him every month.

According to Mills, Ireland's Employment Relations Commission (WRC) his day at work includes the following: "I buy two newspapers, The Times and The Independent and a sandwich. I go to my booth, turn on my computer and look at my emails. There are no work emails and no Messages and no contacts with colleagues.

Then he said, "I sit down and read the paper and eat a sandwich. And at about 10:30 in the morning, if there's an e-mail that requires an answer, I answer it. If there's work attached to it, I do that work. I'll say if I have something that requires me." Work once a week, I'll be happy."

As CFO, Mills was responsible for capital budgets worth approximately $261 million from 2000 until the financial crash of 2007.

He was promoted in 2010, but his career began to unravel in 2013 when he was allegedly bullied and forced to take three months' sick leave.

Mills claims that upon his return from compulsory leave he noticed "some problems" with debtors and sent a report to the chief executive of Irish Rail in March 2014.

Since then, his responsibilities in the company have been reduced as well as his budget portfolio.

Mills made his complaint because he is being paid to "do nothing", and not use his skills.

The CFO added that he feels "isolated and excluded from company meetings and training opportunities".

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