Labour Court rejects PNA claim for worker’s legal fees

The Labour Court rejected the PNA’s claim that Brothers of Charity Services Galway should reimburse a worker’s legal fees. Its recommendation was signed on 10 January 2012. The worker had engaged a solicitor to respond to an allegation before the Residential Institutions Redress Board; the accuser later withdrew it. PNA argued the employer had a duty of care, while the employer said it was not party to the proceedings and had not been asked for help before the solicitor was engaged. The Court said employers do not normally pay employees’ legal costs in proceedings to which they are not a party, and saw no reason to depart from that practice.