Labour Court upholds €10,000 recommendation for QQI worker

The Labour Court upheld a recommendation that Quality And Qualifications Ireland (Qqi) pay €10,000 to a worker who had been appointed Head of Quality Assurance Services (Designate). The recommendation was dated 29 September 2016. The worker said the appointment increased her responsibilities and was viewed as a promotion, but later changes effectively demoted her. QQI argued that her grade and pay had not changed and that it lacked authority to approve a post beyond departmental instructions. The Court had considered the appointment objectively a promotion, although the public service moratorium prevented a corresponding change in grade or remuneration. It also recommended that QQI continue engaging with the Department of Education and Skills to seek approval for a favourable regrading outcome.