Worker 'caught in middle' of funding shortfall caused by government department

A worker employed at a County Mayo job centre for disabled adults has secured a second Workplace Relations Commission ruling in her favour regarding unpaid wages caused by a funding dispute between her employer and the Department of Social Protection. The adjudicating officer found that the employment advisor was entitled to an annual pay increment of €30.56 weekly as part of her contract, approved by the now-defunct training agency FÁS in 2008. When the Department refused to fund the increment from 2021 onwards, the worker's employer, Work Web West Ltd trading as Employability Mayo, was unable to pay it. The WRC ordered the organisation to pay €1,436.32 in arrears covering 47 weeks, bringing total compensation awarded to the complainant to €2,231.14. The adjudicating officer expressed sympathy for the employer's position but criticised the Department's stance, noting the irony that whilst claiming employment terms were solely the employer's responsibility, the Department controlled all funding and approvals.