Operating theatre assistant accused of threat to 'kick the head off' colleague awarded €5k

WRC adjudicator said the unacceptable length of the investigation at 17 months after the issue was first raised by the theatre assistant had resulted in unnecessary worry and stress for the worker. File photo

A health service provider has been ordered to pay €5,000 compensation to a theatre assistant in a hospital over its failure to fully investigate a complaint that she threatened to “kick the head off” a colleague and was creating “a toxic work environment.” 

The Workplace Relations Commission heard that the woman felt she had been left with no option but to escalate the issue to make a complaint over both her colleague’s allegations and how the issue was handled by the hospital.