| You can also visit our "About Adjudication" section for a detailed look at the complaints and hearing process in relation to Adjudication Services. |
Adjudication Officers of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) are statutorily independent in their decision making duties as they relate to adjudicating on complaints referred to them by the WRC Director General.
The Adjudication Officer’s role is to hold a hearing where both parties are given an opportunity to be heard by the Adjudication Officer and to present any evidence relevant to the complaint. However, complaints may, in certain instances, be disposed of by means of written procedure (i.e. without hearing). The Adjudication Officer will not attempt to mediate or conciliate the case. Parties may be accompanied and represented at hearings by a trade union official, an official of a body that, in the opinion of the Adjudication Officer, represents the interests of employers, a practicing barrister or practicing solicitor or any other person, if the Adjudication Officer so permits.
Please note: If parties/representatives are unavailable to attend hearings during the summer months please email pru@workplacerelations.ie advising of same. Advance notice will lessen the prospect of parties being scheduled during periods when they are unavailable and reduce the necessity to seek postponements, with all of the additional work that entails.
The Adjudication Officer will then decide the matter and give a written decision in relation to the complaint. The decision, which will be communicated to both parties and published, may, in general
- declare whether the complainant’s complaint was or was not well founded͖,
- require the employer to comply with the relevant provision(s),
- require the employer to make such redress as is just and equitable in the circumstances including he award of compensation.
A party to a complaint may appeal to the Labour Court from a decision of an Adjudication Officer.