WRC sends worker’s sick-pay dispute back to local talks

The Workplace Relations Commission recommended that a worker and an employer return to local negotiations over sick pay during an absence as a Covid-19 close contact. The recommendation was dated 7 December 2022. The worker said full wages, including overtime allowance, were due for the time away from work. The employer said the worker had been paid under its sick-pay scheme and that the issue needed local agreement. The adjudicator found the matter could affect several employees and had not been exhausted locally, and recommended the parties seek a durable solution through further negotiations.