The WRC recommended that a health service provider pay €2,500 to a catering worker after finding its all-or-nothing approach to credit for prior public service was unduly rigid. The recommendation was dated 24 June 2024.
The worker said nine years in the Irish Defence Forces should count towards his pay after he moved into a catering role. The provider said it credited 17 months spent in army catering and applied the sector’s rules, which it understood to require like-for-like work. Adjudication Officer Shay Henry found the provider had acted in good faith, but said the cited scheme required relevant service; the like-work test was an interpretation supplied to the provider. The worker also described competencies in communication, following guidelines, GDPR, hygiene and food regulations that were relevant to catering. The WRC recommended partial recognition of relevant competencies gained in the army and payment of €2,500 in final settlement.