Labour Court awards four Stobart drivers €250 each over finish-time notice

The Labour Court upheld appeals by Robert Kennedy, Kenneth Gray, Patrick Doolin and Laurence Callery, awarding each €250 after finding their complaints against Stobart (Ireland) Driver Services Ltd well-founded. The determination was signed on 5 June 2018. The drivers said the company had not given 24 hours’ advance notice of their finish times, which were not specified in their contracts or the other documented arrangements under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. Stobart argued that finish times varied because the work was task and finish, and that variation was an implied contract term. The Court found the drivers did not know their delivery destination until they reported to the office, leaving them able to estimate their finish time only roughly. It held that the earlier case relied on by Stobart did not apply and that the Act required advance notice through an express written contract term or another documented method. Six other appeals were withdrawn after those complainants did not attend to pursue them.