The Labour Court recommended that Saolta University Health Care Group pay retired worker Ethel Leonard €6,000 as a goodwill gesture to settle a dispute about how a promotion before retirement affected her pension. The decision was dated 8 February 2021.
Leonard said her pension was negatively affected by the promotion. Saolta maintained that her pension entitlement had been calculated correctly. The Court said it was not deciding how public sector circulars should operate, but noted that Leonard had sought a resolution for almost five years and that a Department of Public Expenditure and Reform analysis reached the union less than 24 hours before the hearing. The recommended payment was without prejudice to either side's position on the underlying issues.