Labour Court recommends five-year route back to Team Lead grade at Bausch and Lomb

The Labour Court recommended that a worker at Valeant Pharmaceutical Ireland T/A Bausch and Lomb return to his former grade if a vacancy arose within five years of his demotion. The recommendation was signed on 10 April 2019. If no vacancy arose, the worker should receive compensation for permanent loss of grade equal to twice his annual financial loss. He could still apply for the grade after the five-year period. The employer and the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union, representing the worker, had both appealed the Adjudication Officer’s recommendation. The Court found the offence was grave and justified a serious sanction, but considered the unlimited demotion could impose a disproportionate, potentially permanent financial penalty without mitigation.