Labour Court recommends HSE review Grade 7 worker’s duties

The Labour Court has recommended that the Health Service Executive review a worker’s duties after a dispute over whether his Grade 7 role included work normally assigned to Grade 8 staff. In a decision dated 2 September 2024, the Court said an upgrade and appointment to a higher-grade post would be unrealistic under the HSE’s open-competition arrangements. The worker, represented by SIPTU, had appealed an Adjudication Officer’s recommendation that the issue was outside its jurisdiction. The worker said some duties suited Grade 8, and a hospital manager had supported considering an upgrade. The Court recommended that the HSE identify tasks normally assigned only to Grade 8 staff and remove them from the worker’s role if he was required to do them.