WRC Glossary
Key terms used in WRC and Labour Court proceedings, explained for practitioners and claimants.
Adjudication
The formal hearing process at the WRC where an adjudication officer hears both sides of a complaint and issues a legally binding decision. Most employment disputes are resolved through adjudication.
Adjudication Officer
An independent decision-maker appointed by the WRC to hear complaints and issue decisions. Adjudication officers have quasi-judicial powers and their decisions are published.
Case Bundle
The collection of all documents, evidence, and submissions prepared for a hearing. A well-organised case bundle is critical to effective presentation — CaseDesk automates this process.
Claimant
The person who files the complaint with the WRC. In unfair dismissal cases, this is typically the employee. Also referred to as the complainant.
Complaint Form
The official form (available on workplacerelations.ie) used to file a complaint with the WRC. Must be filed within the statutory time limit, typically 6 months from the date of the alleged contravention.
Constructive Dismissal
Where an employee resigns because the employer's conduct made it unreasonable to continue in the role. The burden of proof is on the employee to demonstrate that resignation was the only reasonable option.
Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
A legally binding contract between a data controller (the law firm) and a data processor (CaseDesk) that governs the processing of personal data. Required under GDPR for all data processing relationships.
Fair Procedures
The procedural requirements an employer must follow before dismissing an employee. Includes the right to be informed of allegations, the right to respond, the right to representation, and the right to appeal. Failure to follow fair procedures is the most common reason employers lose unfair dismissal cases.
Labour Court
The appellate body for WRC decisions. Either party can appeal a WRC adjudication decision to the Labour Court within 42 days. The Labour Court conducts a full rehearing of the case.
Mediation
A voluntary, confidential process offered by the WRC where a mediator helps both parties reach an agreement without a formal hearing. Mediation outcomes are not published.
Mitigation of Loss
The legal duty of a dismissed employee to take reasonable steps to find new employment. Failure to mitigate can reduce the compensation awarded. CaseDesk's precedent engine shows how adjudicators assess mitigation efforts.
RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation)
The AI architecture used by CaseDesk. Documents are chunked, embedded, and stored in a vector database. The AI only answers using retrieved chunks from your specific case file — it cannot generate information beyond what was uploaded. This is the trust mechanism that makes AI usable in a legal context.
Respondent
The party against whom the WRC complaint is filed. In employment cases, this is typically the employer.
Row Level Security (RLS)
A database-level security mechanism that ensures every data row is scoped to a specific firm and case. In CaseDesk, RLS means cross-firm access is architecturally impossible — it's enforced by the database, not by application logic.
Section 6 (Unfair Dismissals Act 1977)
The core provision governing unfair dismissal in Ireland. Section 6(1) states that a dismissal is deemed unfair unless the employer can show substantial grounds justifying it. The burden of proof is on the employer.
Special Category Data
Under GDPR, certain types of personal data that require additional protections: health data, trade union membership, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, and biometric data. Employment disputes routinely involve special category data.
Submission
The written document filed with the WRC setting out a party's case. Submissions should follow a structured format: background, relevant facts, applicable legislation, legal arguments, and remedies sought. CaseDesk drafts submissions in the correct WRC format.
Time Limit
Most WRC complaints must be filed within 6 months of the alleged contravention. This can be extended to 12 months where reasonable cause for the delay is shown. The time limit is strictly enforced.
Unfair Dismissal
The termination of an employee's employment in a manner that is procedurally or substantively unfair. Governed by the Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977–2015. The employee must have at least 12 months' continuous service (with some exceptions).
WRC (Workplace Relations Commission)
The state body responsible for resolving employment and equality disputes in Ireland. Established in 2015, the WRC provides mediation, adjudication, and inspection services. All adjudication decisions are published on workplacerelations.ie.
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