What actually is the WRC?
HR Dept
Often, in our blogs and newsletters, we talk about action taken by the WRC. But if you have not had any dealings with them before, you might be asking who (or what) the WRC actually is. In this blog, we will explain all.
What is the WRC?
WRC stands for the Workplace Relations Commission. It is an independent statutory body set up by the government in 2015. They assumed a number of roles previously undertaken by a range of other bodies to regulate employment and employee relations.
Some of these are employer facing (directly or at the instigation of employees); others are in an advisory capacity to the government. The most relevant employer facing roles include:
Providing guidance to you to ensure compliance with codes of practice which have been approved under Section 20 of the Workplace Relations Act 2015.
Reviewing and monitoring workplace relations.
Offering a mediation, facilitation and advisory service.
Issuing judgements on disputes between employee and employer by their adjudication officers.
Enforcing the decisions made by adjudication officers or the labour court – whether against employee or employer
To paraphrase these, they publish best practices on how to manage staff, can help with dispute resolution before court proceedings are instigated, are a first line of official adjudication (subsequent appeals escalate beyond their direct remit), and ensure there rulings are brought to bear.
How involved do the WRC get?
The workplace relations commission have just published their annual report for 2024 and if you are unfamiliar with them it makes some interesting reading, shining a light on their activity.
Perhaps the most stark figure is the number of adjudication hearings. They heard 9,054 in 2024 – that is 180 a week on average. This is 6% up on the previous year and shows they keep busy – get an aspect of employment law wrong and the prospect of going before an adjudicator is very real.
On top of this, they completed 5,156 workplace inspections and recovered more than €2 million in unpaid wages.
Conciliation and mediation services is another interesting area to look at. They conducted 14% more mediations than 2023, equalling 894. And their success rate at preventing or resolving disputes ran at 85%.
Helping you steer clear of the Workplace Relations Commission
While the WRC share statutory codes of practice, it is still up to business owners and managers like you to implement them, and that is where we come in. We can help interpret how they should work for your business, and weave them effectively into your own policies and procedures. Our Advice Line is on hand to answer questions for you as they arise.
We can also help you manage staff before disputes ever get as far as the WRC, saving you time, stress and money, especially if it were otherwise to come to a hearing.
The WRC is there to facilitate harmonious workplace relations, but if you can achieve it without their direct input, so much the better. If you would like to find out how we can help you, or have an escalating dispute for which you want professional representation, please get in touch with us today.
