Labour Court pauses Enterprise Ireland appeal over worker’s Grade D pay

The Labour Court issued an interim decision on Enterprise Ireland’s appeal of a recommendation to place a worker on the Level D pay scale. The decision was signed on 15 December 2015, and the appeal remains unresolved. The worker, represented by the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union, said he had carried out Grade D duties since 2005 while being paid at Grade C. Enterprise Ireland argued that upgrades and promotions required open competition and that it could not regrade him under the Public Service Agreement. A Rights Commissioner had recommended placing the worker at the appropriate point on the Level D scale from 2 October 2014. While the appeal was before the Court, Enterprise Ireland received permission to advertise priority positions, including a Level D vacancy in its Procurement Department. The Court said the vacancy process should be completed under the agreements between the union and the agencies. If that process did not resolve the matter, the Court said it would revisit the appeal and make a definitive decision.