The Workplace Relations Commission found that Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) Plc unlawfully deducted wages from fitter Jonathan O'Connor after cutting his working week to three days and his pay to 60% during the pandemic. The decision, dated 13 December 2022, found the complaint well-founded under the Payment of Wages Act.
DAA said reduced hours were a proportionate response to the pandemic’s effect on its revenue and that O'Connor was paid the wages properly due. His union argued the reduction breached his contract and the Act. Two other complaint references were duplicates of the main complaint and did not require investigation.
The WRC found no statutory or contractual basis for reducing his hours to 60%. It said 80% of wages was properly payable from October 2020 to March 2021, and 100% from March to August 2021, and found the shortfall was an unlawful deduction. It made no compensation award, citing DAA’s financial challenges, efforts to protect jobs, engagement with the union, advance notice and O'Connor’s opportunity to work elsewhere.