Accessibility note: If you need this document in an alternative format (large print, Braille, or another language), please contact our Access Officer. See contact details in the Contacts section below.
Our Commitment
The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is committed to promoting quality, openness and transparency in the delivery of our services. If you are not satisfied with the standard of service you receive, or if you feel improvements could be made, please let us know. We welcome your feedback and will deal with your comments and complaints thoroughly, fairly and promptly.
What issues are covered by the Customer Service Complaints Procedure?
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about a service provided by the WRC, as set out in our Customer Services Charter, which remains unresolved after an initial attempt to resolve the issue with the relevant WRC division.
Please note: this procedure does not apply to the outcome of any mediation, conciliation or adjudication carried out by the WRC. If you think an adjudication decision or recommendation is incorrect, you may wish to appeal that decision/recommendation. You cannot challenge the decision or recommendation through this procedure.
Important: The investigation, adjudication and decision of an Adjudication Officer cannot be dealt with as a complaint under the customer charter, as that process is quasi-judicial in nature.
How do I make a complaint?
You can make a complaint by contacting the Customer Services Officer in the area relevant to your query within the WRC. If anything may affect your ability to make a complaint, please let the WRC Access Officer know and we will assist you.
- You can make a complaint in person, by phone, in writing or by email.
- Provide the information listed in the next section to help us investigate quickly.
Contacts
Business Area | Contact Information |
Corporate Services — Customer Services Officer (Alan Barron) | Workplace Relations Commission Lansdowne House, Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, D04 A3A8 Phone: 0818 80 80 90 Email: customerservice@workplacerelations.ie Website: www.workplacerelations.ie
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Workplace Relations Customer Services | Provides information on industrial relations and on rights and obligations under Irish employment and equality legislation Workplace Relations Commission, O'Brien Road, Carlow, R93 W7W2 Phone: (059) 917 8990 | 0818 80 80 90 Email: customerservice@workplacerelations.ie Website: www.workplacerelations.ie
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Inspection and Enforcement — Regional Manager (Mary Flynn) | Workplace Relations Commission, O'Brien Road, Carlow, R93 W7W2 Phone: (059) 917 8990 | 0818 80 80 90 Email: customerservice@workplacerelations.ie Website: www.workplacerelations.ie
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Conciliation, Advisory and Mediation Division — (Laura Hennessy) | Workplace Relations Commission, Lansdowne House, Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, D04 A3A8 Main Switchboard: (01) 613 6700 | 0818 80 80 90 Email: laura.hennessy@workplacerelations.ie Website: www.workplacerelations.ie
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Adjudication — Customer Service Officer | Workplace Relations Commission, Lansdowne House, Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, D04 A3A8 Main Switchboard: (01) 613 6700 | 0818 80 80 90 Email: customerservice@workplacerelations.ie Website: www.workplacerelations.ie
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Workplace Relations Commission, Cork — Regional Manager (Peter Harte) | Centre Park House, Centre Park Road, Cork, T12 WK72 Phone: (021) 454 9300 Email: customerservice@workplacerelations.ie Website: www.workplacerelations.ie
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Workplace Relations Commission, Ennis — Regional Manager (Peter Harte) | Suite 19, Block A, Clare Technology Park, Gort Road, Ennis, Co. Clare, V95 Y9X4 Phone: (059) 917 8942 Email: customerservice@workplacerelations.ie Website: www.workplacerelations.ie
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Workplace Relations Commission, Sligo — Regional Manager (Fidelma Hardiman) | Marino House, Finisklin Business Park, Sligo, F91 W1WX Phone: (071) 918 0700 Email: customerservice@workplacerelations.ie Website: www.workplacerelations.ie
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Access Officer / Disability Liaison Officer (Alan Barron) | Workplace Relations Commission, Lansdowne House, Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, D04 A3A8 Phone: 0818 80 80 90 Email: customerservice@workplacerelations.ie
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What information should you provide?
- Your name, address, email address and a daytime telephone number
- Details of your complaint
- The name of the official with whom you were dealing (if known)
Can I make a complaint through Irish?
Yes. If a complaint is made in Irish, it will be acknowledged in Irish and we will endeavour to deal with any complaint through Irish, if requested.
What happens when I make a complaint?
- When we receive your complaint, we will record it and contact you within 10 working days to advise how to access this procedure.
- We will investigate all complaints and issue a reply within 15 working days. If this is not possible, we will send an interim reply explaining the position and advising when a substantive response will issue.
- All complaints will be treated fairly, impartially and in confidence.
- We will keep records of complaints separate from other records.
What if I am not satisfied?
If you are not happy with the response of the WRC to your complaint, you may seek a review of how your complaint was handled.
How do I seek a review?
Please send your request for a review to our Customer Service Officer. You may seek a review in person, by phone, in writing or by email.
Customer Service Officer | Contact Information |
Customer Service Officer — Alan Barron | Workplace Relations Commission, Lansdowne House, Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, D04 A3A8 Phone: 0818 80 80 90 Email: customerservice@workplacerelations.ie Website: www.workplacerelations.ie
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Tell us why you are not satisfied with the response received to date. You may include any other relevant background information. A Divisional Complaints Officer (who was not involved in the previous investigation) will carry out the review.
You must seek this review within 15 working days of the date on the response you received from the WRC area that dealt with your original complaint.
How will the WRC deal with the Complaints Review request?
- We will acknowledge your Complaints Review request within 10 working days.
- We will assign a Divisional Complaints Officer to deal with your complaint.
- The Divisional Complaints Officer will aim to send you a full reply within 15 working days. If this deadline cannot be met, you will receive an explanation and a date for the full response.
What if I am still not satisfied with the outcome of the Complaints Review?
If you are still not satisfied with the response of the Divisional Complaints Officer in the WRC to your Complaint Review, you have the right to take your complaint to the Director General of the WRC, who can investigate complaints about any of our administrative actions or procedures, as well as delays or inaction in our dealings with you. The outcome of the Director General’s review will end the investigation of your complaint within the WRC.
Director General | Contact Information |
Director General — Audrey Cahill | Workplace Relations Commission, Lansdowne House, Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, D04 A3A8 Phone: 0818 80 80 90 Email: customerservice@workplacerelations.ie Website: www.workplacerelations.ie |
Disability Act 2005
Can I make a complaint under the Disability Act?
Sections 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the Disability Act 2005 relate to access by persons with disabilities to:
- the public buildings of the WRC
- the services of the WRC
- services supplied to the WRC
- information
If you feel that the WRC has not complied with any of these sections, you may make a complaint in writing in accordance with Section 38 of the Disability Act 2005. In accordance with Section 39(2) of the Act, the following are the procedures for making and investigating such complaints.
How to make a complaint under the Disability Act
A complaint may be made by a person, or through his or her:
- spouse/partner, parent or relative
- guardian or a person acting in loco parentis to that person
- legal representative
- a personal advocate assigned by the Citizens Information Board to represent that person
- someone advocating on behalf of that person with his or her consent
A complaint must be made in writing (including email) and should provide your contact details, or the contact details for whoever is making the complaint on your behalf.
The complaint should state that it is a complaint under Section 38 of the Disability Act 2005 and should, as far as possible, set out clearly the grounds for the complaint (relating to access to WRC public buildings, services, services supplied to the WRC, or information).
The complaint must be made to the Director General.
Section 38 of the Disability Act 2005: “A person may by himself or through a person referred to in section 9(2) make a complaint in writing to the head of a public body in relation to the failure of the body to comply with section 25, 26, 27, 28 or 29 of this Act.”
Director General — Disability Act Complaints | Contact Information |
Director General — Audrey Cahill | Workplace Relations Commission, Lansdowne House, Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, D04 A3A8 Phone: 0818 80 80 90 Email: customerservice@workplacerelations.ie Website: www.workplacerelations.ie |
How will the WRC investigate my complaint under the Disability Act?
Following receipt of a complaint, the Director General will refer your complaint to an Inquiry Officer in accordance with Section 39 of the Disability Act 2005. Under Section 39(1), the Director General (as Head of the WRC) may authorise an Inquiry Officer to investigate complaints.
What will the Inquiry Officer do?
- Acknowledge receipt of the complaint to the person who made it.
- Examine the complaint to establish if it relates to an alleged failure by the WRC to comply with Sections 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the Disability Act 2005.
- If the complaint is considered frivolous or vexatious, notify the Director General and the person who made the complaint. Otherwise, proceed to investigate.
- Request further information/details from the person who made the complaint, and specify a time for response. If no information is provided, the Inquiry Officer will nonetheless proceed with the investigation.
- Consult with any parties considered appropriate and may undertake interviews, including with the person who made the complaint.
- Keep a written record of the investigation.
- Prepare a written report setting out findings and a determination on: (a) whether there has been a failure by the WRC to comply with the relevant provisions of the Disability Act 2005; and (b) if a failure occurred, the steps required to comply.
- Send a copy of the report to the Director General and the person who made the complaint.
If you remain unhappy
If you remain unhappy with our response, you can refer your complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is impartial and free to use. Please provide details of your complaint and a copy of our final response to your complaint. The best way to do this is through:
Make a Complaint (ombudsman.ie)
You can also write to: Office of the Ombudsman, 6 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, D02 W772, or call 01 636 5600 if you have any queries.