Labour Court varies recommendation on worker’s claim against solicitor’s firm

The Labour Court varied a Rights Commissioner recommendation in an appeal by a worker represented by the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union against Heffernan Foskin Solicitors. It did not concede the union’s compensation claim, but said the employer should offer the worker suitable general office or secretarial work if it became available, at the appropriate rate. The decision was signed on 28 October 2014. The worker said her hours had been reduced while an intern performed work appropriate to her role, causing financial loss. The employer said the reduction was needed to secure its future viability and that the intern did not do bookkeeping work. The Court accepted that the worker had worked exclusively as a bookkeeper and that the intern had not undertaken bookkeeping duties. It varied the earlier recommendation to reflect its direction about suitable work that might become available.