Labour Court raises holiday-pay compensation to €1,000 on worker’s appeal

The Labour Court increased holiday-pay compensation for Svajunas Urbonas from €181.50 to €1,000 after he appealed the amount awarded for unpaid annual leave. The Court determined the appeal on 13 March 2013, varying the Rights Commissioner’s decision. Urbonas’s appeal concerned only the amount under Section 19 of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997; the Section 21 finding was not appealed. He argued that his economic loss was €724.83 and that the original compensation was inadequate. The employer, Darius Vhitekunas T/A D.V. and S.K. Carpentry, did not attend the appeal hearing. The Court found that the outstanding annual leave entitlement was worth €724.83, but considered the original award inadequate. It set compensation at €1,000, varying the Rights Commissioner’s decision on Urbonas’s appeal.