Labour Court recommends one-week qualifying period for nurses’ premium pay

The Labour Court recommended that South Eastern Health Board use one continuous week, rather than one month, as the qualifying period for nurses’ premium pay while acting in higher posts. It amended the Rights Commissioner’s recommendation after finding that employees had lost payments they were entitled to over a lengthy period. The Nursing Alliance, Irish Nurses' Organisation, Psychiatric Nurses' Association (PNA), Services Industrial Professional Technical Union and Irish Municipal, Public and Civil Trade Union argued that a one-month threshold would exclude many claims. Management cited the difficulty of calculating arrears. The decision was signed on 30 January 2003.