The WRC has recommended €15,000 compensation for a worker after finding that a policing service disregarded its own procedures in handling his suspension. The recommendation was dated 4 March 2026.
The worker was suspended from September 2019 until December 2022. He said he was not given a fair opportunity to challenge the suspension, was not told about vacancies and did not receive the regular meetings required by the policy. The employer said the suspension was valid while investigations were considered and that alternative duties had been offered.
The WRC found that the worker should have had an opportunity to present his case before decisions were made to suspend him or continue the suspension. It noted that the original grounds were no longer being pursued from July 2020, but the suspension continued until December 2022 and no disciplinary process had begun. The WRC also found that vacancy notifications, monthly meetings and notices extending the suspension fell short of best standards.
The WRC found that the suspension allowance policy was applied correctly: the worker received 100% of his basic pay, and the policy provided no additional allowances or overtime. The €15,000 recommendation was for the failures in how the suspension was handled.