The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) found Carmel Henehan’s complaint over an unpaid Master’s degree allowance was not well founded. The decision was dated 27 May 2022.
Henehan, a primary school teacher at St Edward’s NS in Ballytivnan, Sligo, argued that the Department Of Education And Skills had left her behind other teachers by not restoring the allowance after pay changes. The Department said the rules did not provide the allowance for qualifications gained after the relevant cut-off.
The officer found the complaint was within the six-month time limit because Henehan sought relief for the period from 1 October 2020. But she had no contractual right to the allowance, so its non-payment was not an unlawful deduction from her wages. Her complaint failed on its merits. A separate complaint about an allowance for a postgraduate special education needs course was withdrawn at the hearing.