Maurice Morgan was awarded €5,000 after the Workplace Relations Commission found his courier employer breached working-time rules. In a decision dated 10 February 2023, the WRC also found that Mr Morgan was an employee of GK Munster Couriers Limited, which had argued he was self-employed.
The WRC found the company controlled Mr Morgan’s work, provided his van and insurance, and set his workdays. It ordered €130 for an unpaid day in his final week, €1,595.10 for annual leave and €2,000 compensation, and €520 for four public holidays with a further €500 compensation. It also awarded €650 for statutory notice and €2,600 on each of two complaints about missing employment terms.
The €5,000 award covered breaches involving rest breaks, daily and weekly rest periods, and maximum working hours. The company did not attend the hearing, though the WRC was satisfied it had been notified. It rejected Mr Morgan’s claim for extra hours and expenses, finding no evidence that the agreed €130 daily rate covered only eight hours. It also found road-transport working-time rules did not apply to his van, which weighed under 3.5 tonnes and had no tachograph.