[Ireland] €1.66m in unpaid wages recovered by WRC

The COVID-19 pandemic presented the Workforce Relations Commission with unprecedented challenges in 2020 yet its annual report reveals that the WRC recovered almost €1.7m in unpaid wages for employees, RTÉ reports.

The WRC annual report for 2020 was released on April 26. It revealed that the WRC Inspectorate carried out 7,687 inspections last year, of which 5,202 were unannounced.

The WRC detected 1,760 employers who were in breach of employment law and recovered unpaid wages totalling €1.66m.

The report notes that the general focus of inspections is on sectors "where non-compliance is suspected or as a response to complaints received regarding alleged non-compliance by specific employers".

The report states that 147 joint inspections were carried out with An Garda Síochána and other regulatory bodies of the State. 81 prosecutions were completed with a 90 per cent success rate.

Between 2015 and 2020, the WRC carried out 61 inspections of meat plants, almost half of which (48 per cent) reportedly revealed breaches of employment law on issues including pay, working time and employment permits.

Outstanding wages totalling almost €184,000 were recovered. Of the 11 inspections carried out last year, five employers were found to be breaking the law.

Between 2015 and 2020, 380 inspections were carried out in the agriculture and horticulture sector. The average overall "breach rate" was 48 per cent, largely as a result of inadequate record-keeping leading to working time and unpaid wages issues. 

Wages recovered for employees in this sector came to almost €406,000. Following 41 WRC inspections in 2020, 17 employers were found to be non-compliant.

In the fisheries sector, the WRC conducted 31 "desktop" inspections last year and two on-board inspections, assessing 37 of the 180 vessels covered by the Atypical Work Permit Scheme for non-EEA fishers.

Thirty-six contraventions of employment rights or work permits legislation were detected, relating to 19 vessel owners, bringing the number of breaches detected since the 2016 establishment of the Atypical Scheme to 313.

There were five cases detected where fishers did not have permission to work in the State.

At the report launch, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment acknowledged the recent Supreme Court finding that elements of the WRC's operations - including a blanket ban on public hearings and the failure to administer an oath to encourage truthful testimony - were unconstitutional.

It stated that both the department and the WRC are considering the judgement and any necessary actions arising from it. Since the ruling, hearings are being held in public and hearings involving a conflict of evidence or facts are being adjourned until legislation is passed to permit the swearing of an oath or affirmation.

Damien English - Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail - the WRC had faced unprecedented challenges after the COVID-19 pandemic hit but had acted quickly to adapt its services and continue to offer "fairness and good work practices for employers and employees across the country."

Mr English said the WRC would continue to play a "pivotal" role in assisting employees and employers in Ireland in the move towards a jobs-led economic recovery after the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented the Workforce Relations Commission with unprecedented challenges in 2020 yet its annual report reveals that the WRC recovered almost €1.7m in unpaid wages for employees, RTÉ reports.

The WRC annual report for 2020 was released on April 26. It revealed that the WRC Inspectorate carried out 7,687 inspections last year, of which 5,202 were unannounced.

The WRC detected 1,760 employers who were in breach of employment law and recovered unpaid wages totalling €1.66m.

The report notes that the general focus of inspections is on sectors "where non-compliance is suspected or as a response to complaints received regarding alleged non-compliance by specific employers".

The report states that 147 joint inspections were carried out with An Garda Síochána and other regulatory bodies of the State. 81 prosecutions were completed with a 90 per cent success rate.

Between 2015 and 2020, the WRC carried out 61 inspections of meat plants, almost half of which (48 per cent) reportedly revealed breaches of employment law on issues including pay, working time and employment permits.

Outstanding wages totalling almost €184,000 were recovered. Of the 11 inspections carried out last year, five employers were found to be breaking the law.

Between 2015 and 2020, 380 inspections were carried out in the agriculture and horticulture sector. The average overall "breach rate" was 48 per cent, largely as a result of inadequate record-keeping leading to working time and unpaid wages issues. 

Wages recovered for employees in this sector came to almost €406,000. Following 41 WRC inspections in 2020, 17 employers were found to be non-compliant.

In the fisheries sector, the WRC conducted 31 "desktop" inspections last year and two on-board inspections, assessing 37 of the 180 vessels covered by the Atypical Work Permit Scheme for non-EEA fishers.

Thirty-six contraventions of employment rights or work permits legislation were detected, relating to 19 vessel owners, bringing the number of breaches detected since the 2016 establishment of the Atypical Scheme to 313.

There were five cases detected where fishers did not have permission to work in the State.

At the report launch, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment acknowledged the recent Supreme Court finding that elements of the WRC's operations - including a blanket ban on public hearings and the failure to administer an oath to encourage truthful testimony - were unconstitutional.

It stated that both the department and the WRC are considering the judgement and any necessary actions arising from it. Since the ruling, hearings are being held in public and hearings involving a conflict of evidence or facts are being adjourned until legislation is passed to permit the swearing of an oath or affirmation.

Damien English - Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail - the WRC had faced unprecedented challenges after the COVID-19 pandemic hit but had acted quickly to adapt its services and continue to offer "fairness and good work practices for employers and employees across the country."

Mr English said the WRC would continue to play a "pivotal" role in assisting employees and employers in Ireland in the move towards a jobs-led economic recovery after the pandemic.