John Arkins awarded €8,942.68 over deficient employment terms

The Workplace Relations Commission found a film worker’s written employment terms were deficient and ordered his employer to pay him €8,942.68. The WRC decision, dated 15 December 2023, also found a separate wages complaint not well founded and recorded a third complaint as withdrawn. John Arkins said he had worked on productions for Metropolitan Films for many years, was laid off in August 2018 and was not called back when production resumed. Metropolitan Films International Limited argued that separate production companies employed him and that his complaints were out of time. The adjudicator found that Metropolitan Films International Limited was the correct respondent and that the complaints were in time. The adjudicator found the employment document had not been issued to Arkins and gave incorrect details about his employer and start date. The award was compensation equivalent to four weeks’ pay. The wages complaint failed because the adjudicator found wages were not payable during an agreed lay-off when no work was done.