WRC recommends worker discuss suitable return-to-work role

A WRC adjudication officer recommended that an employer meet with a worker to discuss a suitable return-to-work role after a dispute over changes to her roster. The recommendation was dated 12 April 2024. The worker said she should have remained on a sleepover roster under last-in-first-out rules and alleged favouritism in the process. The employer said service changes ended sleepover shifts, affected 11 staff and followed negotiations with the relevant trade union. Adjudication Officer Eileen Campbell found an agreement had been reached using seniority within the affected rosters, rather than the worker’s interpretation based on service in her grade. She found no basis to undermine the agreement and noted that a buy-out for lost shift premiums had been agreed. Campbell recommended the worker engage with the employer about a role suited to her experience and qualifications.