Labour Court recommends compensation of twice agreed annual loss for Eastern Health Board worker

The Labour Court recommended that Eastern Health Board pay a worker compensation of twice his agreed annual earnings loss after a restructuring changed his duty roster. The decision was dated 14 July 2000. The dispute concerned an attendant at Baltinglass District Hospital whose hours were being reduced from 55 a week to 39. The parties agreed his annual earnings loss was £7,784. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union had appealed a Rights Commissioner's recommendation, arguing that the compensation did not reflect the long-term earnings and pension impact. The Board said the compensation already recommended was sizeable and accepted the Rights Commissioner's recommendation of £11,253. The Labour Court considered the loss substantial and recommended that the worker accept the new roster and that the Board pay compensation of twice the agreed annual loss.