Courts / Ireland / Report

Charity manager left to work excessive hours wins €5k

Summary

Emma Keane, a Simon Community manager, claimed that her employer, Midlands Simon Communities CLG, breached the Organisation of Working Time Act 2005 by allowing her to work beyond the legal maximum weekly hours and by failing to pay accrued annual leave. Keane had agreed in October 2020 to a 48‑hour week, which she argued was not temporary and continued until her resignation in July 2023. She described how her role required her to travel to centres for out‑of‑hours emergencies, often multiple times a week, which she said pushed her beyond the statutory limit. The employer defended the arrangement as unavoidable due to funding and service demand. The Workplace Relations Commission found the employer in breach, awarding Keane €2,500 for the excessive hours and €2,039.99 for unpaid annual leave, plus €500 compensation, totaling €5,000.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Charity manager left to work excessive hours wins €5k. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• October 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
• July 2023 Other
• 2025-02-05 Publication

Why: A representative of the Midlands Simon Community who appeared before the tribunal said the working time issue was "regrettable but unavoidable" because of the nature of the organisation's work. CNI source report

Case subjects

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Read the original CNI report