Everyone finds work difficult sometimes – but when do you have the right to bring forward a complaint against your employer?
On Newstalk Breakfast, Hayes Solicitors spokesperson Anne Lyne said something as simple as office heating can be grounds for a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
“That is a legitimate ground for a grievance, and in fact, there are specific regulations under the Safety, Health and Welfare Work Act,” she said.
“For example, in an office environment, the temperature should be a minimum of 17.5°C.
“We often see like now in the winter, where employees are saying they’re cold - and then we have the corresponding issues in the summer - where we have whole fights over the air conditioning units.
“So, it is a legitimate grievance – and the employee is allowed to request or require their employer to maintain a suitable temperature in the office.”
Angry Group In Video Conference Webinar. Workplace Argument. Image: Andriy Popov / Alamy. 29 April 2024Ms Lyne said if a person was not satisfied with their employer in this situation, they could make a complaint to the Health and Safety Authority.
“They may just – in the first instance – contact the employer to understand what the situation is,” she said.
“So, if an employee is looking for immediate redress, or a more specific address, their port of call if they are penalised and looking to bring a claim to the WRC might be a much more effective remedy.”
Anonymous complaint
According to Ms Hayes, anonymous complaints can also be made to the WRC, which typically lead to the inspection of company records.
“It’s typically around unpaid wages, if you don’t get your holidays, if you didn’t get a contract of employment – but they wouldn’t specifically name you without your consent,” she said.
"So, the inspection would be done on the employer's side, but it would not be relative to you."
Ms Hayes said that you also have grounds to make a complaint if your employer does not provide a space to have lunch or access to a bathroom.
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