WRC recommends two weeks’ wages and statement for nurse dismissed during probation

The WRC recommended that a healthcare provider pay a nurse two weeks’ wages and provide a statement of employment after finding her dismissal dispute well-founded. Adjudication Officer Úna Glazier-Farmer dated the recommendation 26 May 2026. The nurse said she was dismissed during probation after briefly dozing on a day shift following a long period of night work. She disputed other allegations about her care duties. The provider said she had been found asleep while caring for a child needing constant supervision and raised concerns about care procedures. The officer accepted that the allegation warranted investigation but identified concerns about unclear disciplinary procedures, inconsistent dismissal grounds and whether the nurse had a full opportunity to respond. The officer considered dismissal disproportionate for a first incident, given the absence of prior warnings and the shift transition raised as a mitigating factor.