HSE ordered to pay €86,717 after WRC sexual harassment finding

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

A Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator found that a junior hospital pharmacist had been sexually harassed by a colleague and held the HSE liable for discrimination under the Employment Equality Act 1998. The adjudicator awarded her €86,717, equivalent to a year’s gross pay, and directed the HSE to disregard her work related stress leave when calculating her sick leave entitlement.

The adjudicator accepted the complainant’s uncontroverted account of the incidents. The HSE acknowledged that it had not done enough to protect her; an internal investigation had found in her favour, and the matter had been referred to a disciplinary process. The adjudicator also concluded that the HSE had taken only minimal steps to protect her while the investigation proceeded.