WRC rejects four complaints by Boots pharmacist as outside time limit

The WRC found it had no jurisdiction to hear four complaints by Emma Bourke against Boots Retail Ireland Limited because they were brought outside the statutory six-month time limit. The decision was dated 7 June 2022; the merits were not decided. Bourke, a pharmacist, worked for Boots from 2 June to 13 August 2020. Her complaints concerned working-time rights and payment of wages. Boots argued that the claims were late and that there was no reasonable cause to extend the deadline. Bourke said Revenue had indicated in June 2021 that she could return a September net payment to Boots, and that the time limit should run from then. The adjudication officer said she could have filed within six months and asked for a hearing to be deferred if necessary. He did not accept that reasonable cause justified an extension.