Labour Court amends recommendation in Irish Blood Transfusion Service worker's hours appeal

The Labour Court amended a Rights Commissioner recommendation in an appeal by the Irish Blood Transfusion Service over a worker's hours and sick pay, in a decision dated 10 November 2015. The Rights Commissioner had recommended banding the worker's contractual hours between 30 and 35 per week and changing her sick-leave entitlements. The employer accepted she had worked additional hours continuously over a long period, but said they were spread across different areas and no suitable vacancy existed. The union argued the hours should be reflected in her contract and that her sick-leave entitlements should be based on the hours worked. The Court accepted there were practical obstacles to fully implementing the recommendation at that time. It said the employer should commit in principle to restoring the worker's historic work pattern as additional hours became available, then discuss adjusting her contractual hours. The employer was also prepared to adjust her sick-pay entitlements to reflect the additional hours she had worked before going on leave.