ADJUDICATION OFFICER DECISION
Adjudication Reference: ADJ-00059564
Parties:
| Complainant | Respondent |
Parties | Luis Antonio Garcia Laczky | PI Hotels & Restaurants Ireland Limited t/a Premier Inn |
Representatives | Self-Represented |
|
Complaint:
Act | Complaint/Dispute Reference No. | Date of Receipt |
Complaint seeking adjudication by the Workplace Relations Commission under section 6 of the Payment of Wages Act, 1991 | CA-00072252-001 | 10/06/2025 |
Date of Adjudication Hearing: 01/12/2025
Workplace Relations Commission Adjudication Officer: Thomas O'Driscoll
Procedure:
In accordance with Section 41 of the Workplace Relations Act, 2015 following the referral of the complaint to me by the Director General, I inquired into the complaint and gave the parties an opportunity to be heard by me and to present to me any evidence relevant to the complaint. The Respondent did not attend though I am reasonably satisfied it was aware of the arrangements for the hearing. This was evident from correspondence sent by the Respondent to the Workplace Relations Commission.
Background:
The Complainant was employed as a member of the Respondent’s housekeeping staff from 10 May 2025 until 27 May 2025 and worked 22 hours per week at a rate of €13.6 an hour. The Complainant submitted a complaint under the Payment of Wages Act 1991 alleging that the Respondent failed to pay wages due to him in respect of certain hours worked during his period of employment. The Respondent was duly notified of the hearing by the WRC but did not attend, nor did it provide any written response. |
Summary of Complainant’s Case:
The Complainant gave sworn evidence that he worked 35 hours during the period of employment. His agreed hourly rate was €13.60. He expected to receive payment in line with previous payments made by the Respondent. No wages were issued for the relevant period. The Complainant made repeated efforts to secure payment but received no response from the Respondent. The Complainant calculated his unpaid wages as follows: 35 hours × €13.60 = €476.00 gross Less 40% tax (€190.24) Net amount owed: €289.76 He therefore seeks a decision directing payment of €289.76. |
Summary of Respondent’s Case:
The Respondent did not attend the hearing |
Findings and Conclusions:
Section 5(6) of the Payment of Wages Act 1991 provides: “Where— (a) the total amount of any wages that are paid on any occasion by an employer to an employee is less than the total amount of wages that is properly payable by him to the employee on that occasion … the amount described … shall be treated … as a deduction made by the employer from the wages of the employee on that occasion.” The failure to pay wages on the date they fell due constitutes an unlawful deduction, as nothing in the uncontested evidence of the Complainant evidence suggests any lawful deduction from wages. Given the uncontested nature of the evidence, I find the complaint to be well-founded. |
Decision:
Section 41 of the Workplace Relations Act 2015 requires that I make a decision in relation to the complaint in accordance with the relevant redress provisions under Schedule 6 of that Act.
For the reasons outlined above I find that the complaint was well founded, and I direct the Respondent to pay to the Complainant the sum of €289.76 (net) being unpaid wages for 35 hours worked. |
Dated: 5th of January 2026.
Workplace Relations Commission Adjudication Officer: Thomas O'Driscoll
Key Words:
Payment of Wages act 1991. |