WRC finds it has no jurisdiction over worker’s termination agreement dispute

The WRC found it had no jurisdiction to hear a worker’s complaint about deductions from a termination agreement with an employer; the merits were not decided. Adjudication Officer Lefre de Burgh dated the decision 28 July 2023. The agreement provided €16,176.57 in notice pay and a €35,000 ex gratia payment. The worker received the notice pay and €30,622.31 of the ex gratia sum, with €4,377.69 deducted. She said the deductions were unlawful; the employer argued the agreement was enforceable in another forum and the deductions were permitted. The officer found the proceedings misconceived because they concerned enforcement of a legally enforceable agreement, and said the WRC had no jurisdiction to hear them.