WRC recommends €5,000 payment to waterworks caretaker over investigation delays

The Workplace Relations Commission has recommended that A Local Authority pay A Waterworks Caretaker €5,000 for avoidable delays investigating his complaints. The recommendation was dated 14 February 2024. The caretaker, represented by SIPTU, said the investigation into his complaints took too long and sought compensation and restoration of his sick pay. The local authority said it followed its grievance policy and that Covid-19 restrictions delayed meetings. The WRC found there was no credible basis to explain the delay. It accepted that the authority initially lacked enough information to begin an investigation, but found that it had the caretaker’s written complaint by October 2020. It said the delay after that was inexcusable, even with pandemic restrictions.