Department of Education pension complaint ruled out of time

The Workplace Relations Commission found Karen Black’s pension complaint against the Department of Education was out of time and not well-founded. The decision was dated 4 September 2024. Black alleged the Department unreasonably refused to enter her into a pension scheme. She accepted that her teaching employment had ended more than 11 years before she referred the complaint, but said she had sought entry and been refused within six months of referral. The Department argued the claim was statute barred because her employment had ended long before it was brought. The WRC said the law required the complaint to be referred within six months of the relevant employment ending, with a possible extension to 12 months for reasonable cause. The adjudicator found the employment had ended well over a year before referral. The merits were not decided.