ADJUDICATION OFFICER DECISION
Adjudication Reference: ADJ-00007973
Complaint:
Act | Complaint/Dispute Reference No. | Date of Receipt |
Complaint seeking adjudication by the Workplace Relations Commission under Section 39 of the Redundancy Payments Act, 1967 |
CA-00006580-001 | 22/08/2016 |
Complaint seeking adjudication by the Workplace Relations Commission under Section 11 of the Minimum Notice & Terms of Employment Act, 1973 |
CA-00006580-002 | 22/08/2016 |
Complaint seeking adjudication by the Workplace Relations Commission under section 27 of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 |
CA-00006580-003 | 22/08/2016 |
Venue: Ardboyne Hotel, Navan, Co. Meath
Date of Adjudication Hearing: 27/06/2017
Workplace Relations Commission Adjudication Officer: John Walsh
Procedure:
In accordance with Section 41 of the Workplace Relations Act, 2015 and under Section 39 of the Redundancy Payments Acts 1967 - 2014 following the referral of the complaints to me by the Director General, I inquired into the complaints and gave the parties an opportunity to be heard by me and to present to me any evidence relevant to the complaints.
Background:
The Complainant was employed as sales assistant from the 21th of August 2010 to the 19th of October 2015. She was paid at the rate of €171 per week for working a 19 hour week. The Respondent company went into liquidation on the 19th of October 2015. The Complainant was effectively made redundant from that date. The Respondent failed to pay the Complainant her Statutory Redundancy Entitlements, her Statutory Minimum Notice Entitlements and her Holiday Entitlements. She filed a complaint with the Workplace Relations Commission on the 22nd of August 2016. |
Summary of Complainant’s Case:
CA-00006580-001- Redundancy Payments Complaint The Complainant’s Representative outlined the following submission; He stated that the liquidator has submitted a written statement which he outlined as follows; ‘We wish to confirm that all claims were prepared from this office as a result of the Director’s of the Respondent Company’s lack of cooperation in providing us with a statement of affairs. Without this information the employees were unable to access the social insurance fund so they had no alternative but to lodge a claim with the Workplace Relations Commission in order to claim for their Statutory Entitlements.’ The liquidator went on to state in his statement; ‘This letter is to confirm that there have been no realisations in this liquidation and that there are therefore no funds available to meet the employee’s claims. There is no prospect of future realisations. I can confirm that I first engaged with the staff in relation to the liquidation in January 2016. Any delay was due to protracted litigation initiated by the former Directors of the Respondent Company (in official liquidation). ‘ The Complainant’s Representative outlined the following Redundancy Entitlement for the Complainant; Date of Commencement: 21/08/10 Date of Termination: 19/10/15 Number of Days Worked per Week: 3 Weekly Hours: 19 Number of Years Service: 4.02 Number of Weeks due: 9.04 Statutory Entitlement: €1545.84
CA-00006580-002- Statutory Minimum Notice Entitlements: Time Limits: The Complainant filed a compliant with the Workplace Relations Commission on the 22nd of August 2016. The Complainant’s employment terminated on the 19th of October 2015. In accordance with Section 41 of the Workplace Relations Act, 2015 an Adjudication Officer may not entertain a complaint under Section 21 of the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act, 1977 if it has been presented after the expiration of the period of 6 months beginning on the date of the contravention to which the complaint relates. The complaint filed by the Complainant does not fall within the Statutory timelines; however, the failure by the Complainant for the delay in presenting her complaint was due to reasonable cause. The delay was due to protracted litigation initiated by the former directors of the Respondent company.
Decision on Time Limits: I have decided to extend the time limit by a further 6 months due to reasonable cause. The Complainant’s Representative stated that the Complainant is due 4 weeks pay in relation to her Statutory Minimum Notice in the sum of €684. CA-00006580-003 – Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 The Complainant’s representative stated that she was due outstanding wages on the termination of her employment. She had taken 3 days annual leave. She had a full entitlement to 16 days. She is therefore due a balance of 9 days annual leave pay in the sum of €513.
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Summary of Respondent’s Case:
The Respondent did not attend at the hearing. The Liquidator provided a written statement to the Complainant’s representative which is outlined in his submission. |
Findings and Conclusions:
Based on the uncontested evidence by the Complainant’s Representative, I find that the Complaint is well-founded and that the Complainant is entitled to her Statutory Redundancy Payments, her Statutory Minimum Notice Entitlements and her Annual Leave Entitlements. |
Decision:
Section 41 of the Workplace Relations Act 2015 requires that I make a decision in relation to the complaints in accordance with the relevant redress provisions under Schedule 6 of that Act.
CA-00006580-001- Redundancy Payments Complaint Section 39 of the Redundancy Payments Acts 1967 – 2012 requires that I make a decision in relation to the complaint in accordance with the relevant redress provisions under that Act. I find that the Complainant is entitled to a Statutory lump sum under the Redundancy Payments Acts 1967 to 2014 based on the following criteria; Date of Commencement: 21/08/10 Date of Termination: 19/10/15 Gross Weekly Wage: €171 This award is made subject to the Complainant fulfilling current social welfare requirements in relation to PRSI contributions.
CA-00006580-002- Statutory Minimum Notice Entitlements I find that the Complainant is entitled to her Statutory Minimum Notice Entitlements under the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act, 1973 based on the following criteria; This award is made subject to the Complainant fulfilling current social welfare requirements in relation to PRSI contributions.
CA-00006580-003 – Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 I find that the Complainant is entitled to the balance of her Annual Leave Entitlement under the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 based on the following criteria; This award is made subject to the Complainant fulfilling current social welfare requirements in relation to PRSI contributions. PLEASE NOTE: The following reference numbers - CA-00006581-01, CA-00006581-02 and CA-00006581-03 were duplicated by mistake on the Letter of Notice sent to the parties. I have not taken these reference numbers into account when making my decision. |
Dated: 10/11/2017
Workplace Relations Commission Adjudication Officer: John Walsh