Mater Misericordiae University Hospital worker awarded €200 over public holiday entitlement

The Workplace Relations Commission awarded Adrian Stefan €200 after finding that being on call prevented him from enjoying public holidays as intended. The decision was dated 5 September 2023. Stefan, a senior clinical engineering technician, said he had not received his public holiday entitlement for holidays in the six months before he filed his complaint. He was on call for one week in every four and usually took calls rather than returning to the hospital. The hospital denied breaching the law, saying he enjoyed public holidays as days off and that the on-call fee compensated him for taking calls. The officer found that having to stay close to the hospital meant Stefan could not enjoy a public holiday as intended. The complaint was well founded and he was awarded €200 compensation.