WRC rejects eight complaints by Dublin Business School student who was not an employee

The Workplace Relations Commission found eight complaints by Jana Gogova against Dublin Business School not well-founded, after deciding she was a student rather than an employee. The decision, dated 4 January 2023, concerned complaints under employment, equality, workplace safety and further education legislation. Gogova argued that her course amounted to vocational training and relied on a work placement. The school said she had no employment contract and received no remuneration. The adjudication officer found her course was a normal higher education programme, not vocational training within the statutory definition, and said she lacked legal standing to bring the complaints. The decision did not determine the substantive discrimination and other complaints, or the separate time-limit issue, after finding she lacked standing.