WRC recommends Credit Union finalise Clerical Officer investigation

The Workplace Relations Commission recommended that the Credit Union finalise the matters raised at a June 2019 investigation meeting involving a Clerical Officer, finding the employer had extended a trial period beyond the original agreement. The recommendation, dated 25 February 2022, is limited to matters discussed at the 25 June 2019 meeting and does not cover later issues. The worker said the employer had agreed to conclude the investigation after a three-month trial period. The Credit Union said a third-party computer breach created exceptional extra work and justified extending the period. The WRC found that the employer should have recorded the agreement clearly and that no interpersonal difficulties arose during the trial. It also found that the employer’s September correspondence indicated it had formed a view against the worker during the open investigation, which the officer called a significant procedural breach.