Why Completing Your WRC Complaint Form Correctly Is Critical

When taking a case to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), many employees assume they can simply "add" to their complaint later if more issues arise. However, a recent WRC decision — CA-00070973-001 — highlights why that assumption can cost you your entire case.

In this case, the complainant, a part-time bartender, alleged that after a management change, his weekly hours were unfairly reduced below the 20-hour minimum in his contract. He argued that other part-time colleagues continued to receive stable hours, suggesting less favourable treatment.

However, when the case came before the WRC, the Adjudicator found that the complaint form — submitted months earlier — did not clearly identify a comparable full-time employee or any evidence showing less favourable treatment due to part-time status. More importantly, after the complaint was filed, the complainant sent several "update" emails to the WRC raising new issues that were not part of his original claim.

The Adjudicator explained that new matters raised after the complaint form is filed cannot be considered unless they are directly connected to the original issue. The correct procedure would have been to file an additional complaint form covering those new events. Because the new allegations were unrelated and no comparator had been identified, the complaint was dismissed as not well-founded.

The lesson: The complaint form defines your entire case

Your WRC complaint form is not just an administrative document — it's the foundation of your claim. It tells the WRC (and your employer) what you are alleging and under which law. If a key fact, incident, or legal basis is missing, the Adjudicator may have no jurisdiction to consider it later.

In short:

• Every relevant event or allegation must be clearly outlined in the complaint form.

• Each complaint must identify the correct legal basis (e.g. discrimination, unfair dismissal, penalisation, etc.).

• If new issues arise after filing, a separate complaint form must be submitted — unless those events are clearly linked to the original complaint.

Employees often lose valid cases simply because of technical or procedural errors like these. A well-prepared complaint form not only ensures your case can be heard in full, but also demonstrates to the Adjudicator that you understand the legal framework you are relying upon.

Need help preparing your WRC complaint correctly?

We help employees make sure their complaint is clear, comprehensive, and compliant — giving them the best chance of success.

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