Labour Court affirms Aer Lingus suspension recommendation with added protections

The Labour Court affirmed a Rights Commissioner’s recommendation concerning an Aer Lingus cabin crew worker’s suspension, with additional protections for financial losses. The decision was signed on 14 June 2010. The worker was one of eight employees suspended on full pay while Aer Lingus investigated concerns raised by US Customs after a flight to Boston. The suspension was lifted and no disciplinary hearing followed. The Court agreed there was no basis to impute wrongdoing to the crew and that the suspensions were unreasonable. The recommendation included written clearance, removal of incident references from the worker’s personnel file, restoration of lost credits and four weeks’ additional paid leave. The Court added that financial losses from related sick leave and attendance at meetings or hearings should be restored. Aer Lingus agreed the extra leave could be converted to cash if preferred.