WRC awards Sonya Morrissey €250 over tax deduction

The Workplace Relations Commission awarded Sonya Morrissey €250 after finding her employer, Ace Accounting & Taxation Services Ltd, had breached her statutory rights by taking the tax liability in one lump sum in a way that was not fair and reasonable. The decision was dated 11 May 2023. The dispute arose from a tax deduction linked to the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme. Morrissey said she was left short of €1,173 in basic pay and €770 in holiday pay. The respondent was unavailable at the hearing; its correspondence said she had agreed to monthly deductions. The adjudicator found that taking the €1,173 tax liability in one lump sum from net salary of €2,863.55 was not fair and reasonable. Although tax deductions may be lawful, the WRC said they must still meet that standard. It awarded Morrissey €250 for the breach.