Health board officers and unfair dismissal protection
The Minister said health board officers were excluded because existing legislation was considered to protect them adequately; their possible inclusion is under review.
asked the Minister for Labour the reason the Unfair Dismissals Act, 1977, applies only to employees and does not cover people referred to as "officers"; if he is aware that most health board employees are categorised as officers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Comment on this
: Officers of a health board were excluded from the provisions of the Unfair Dismissals Act, 1977, because it was considered that they were covered by existing legislation which included procedures for their protection against dismissal. In comparison with the employees of the boards to whom the provisions of the Unfair Dismissals Act apply, officers were regarded as having at least equal protection against the risk of arbitrary or unfair dismissal.
The legislation is, however, currently under review and the inclusion of categories which are at present excluded is being considered as part of that review.
4.