WRC recommends hospital pay nurse €2,500 and allowance arrears from 2017

The WRC recommended that a hospital pay a clinical nurse specialist her Community Allowance dating back to December 2017 and €2,500 compensation for delay in handling her grievance. The recommendation was dated 20 February 2023. The nurse said the hospital had conceded her allowance claim but offered arrears only from July 2021. The hospital said it needed governing-body approval and that her work across hospital and community settings had caused confusion about eligibility. The WRC recommended that the hospital pay her allowance in full from December 2017 by 28 February 2023. On the separate grievance-delay complaint, the officer accepted that approval was needed and the governing body was under pressure during the pandemic, but found it unacceptable to leave her without an answer for more than three years. The hospital was recommended to pay €2,500 compensation by 28 February 2023.