Labour Court upholds sick-pay recommendation on Irish Steel appeal

In 1991, the Labour Court upheld a Rights Commissioner’s recommendation on sick pay after Irish Steel Limited appealed. The decision was signed on 15 January 1991. The case concerned a worker who was on sick leave when the company moved from a four-shift to a three-shift pattern. The company paid sick pay at the three-shift rate; Services Industrial Professional Technical Union argued the worker should receive the four-shift rate enjoyed before illness. The Rights Commissioner recommended that prior shift rate, provided the union accepted that supplementary and bonus payments were not sick-pay entitlements. The Court upheld the recommendation in the circumstances and rejected the company’s appeal. It also said the parties should set out in writing the terms for similar situations in future.