The WRC recommended that a public body pay a senior social worker €1,000 after finding deficiencies in its handling of her grievance. The recommendation was dated 5 April 2024.
The worker’s grievance concerned two managers’ handling of an occupational health query about her duties and working hours. She said the process was delayed and did not address her concerns. The public body said it had appointed independent investigators and offered the worker a meeting with the managers or a rerun of the appeal, which she declined.
The adjudicator said the public body was responsible for ensuring its grievance procedure was followed. Good practice required the managers to be heard during the appeal, but they had not been included. The adjudicator found that the process prejudiced both the worker and the managers. Because the incident was not recurring, she considered a rerun pointless.
The WRC recommended that the public body review its procedures and tell the worker what measures it had taken. It also recommended €1,000 compensation in full and final settlement of the dispute.