WRC rejects school assistant’s pay complaint over June absences

The Workplace Relations Commission found Mary McGowan’s complaint about deductions from her pay for two days’ absence at Elphin College was not well founded in a decision dated 10 February 2023. McGowan said she believed there would be no work available on 3 and 4 June 2021 after being told so and seeing no work in the calendar. The Galway And Roscommon Education Training Board said she was expected to attend work and a meeting that had been scheduled to reconvene on 3 June. The officer found McGowan was due to attend the meeting and noted that the academic calendar showed the school year ended on 4 June. The officer also found the email McGowan relied on referred to students finishing on 28 May, not staff being excused from work, and concluded her leave was unauthorised.