WRC recommends €2,500 payment over grievance delay

The Workplace Relations Commission recommended that a worker receive €2,500 compensation after finding an employer took an inordinate time to process his grievance. The recommendation, dated 5 July 2023, also directs the employer to complete its grievance procedure and issue a written outcome within 90 days. The worker said his role had been changed without consultation, he had been isolated in a separate office and his grievances had not been meaningfully addressed. The employer attributed the role change to restructuring and said it had delayed the grievance process because of the WRC process, Covid-19, the worker’s sick leave and representation issues. The officer found the delay in engaging with the grievance was inordinate despite those circumstances. The recommendation also calls for the worker to engage with the employer after the written outcome to clarify his role and discuss professional development.