WRC rejects pharmacy worker’s penalisation complaint

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) found that a pharmacy worker was not penalised for reporting a workplace hazard. Its decision, dated 19 July 2023, concerned Kim Guerin’s complaint against Pharmacy Care Services Limited t/a Walsh's Pharmacy. Guerin said she was reprimanded after reporting slippery conditions at the back of the Loughrea shop. The company said the reprimand followed her refusal to clean the hazardous area when instructed. The WRC accepted that reporting the hazard was a protected act, but found the verbal reprimand was for refusing a lawful instruction, not for making the report. It found the complaint was not well founded.