Labour Court recommends €2,540 termination payment for six Offaly council workers

The Labour Court recommended on 23 May 2002 that Offaly County Council increase its conditional termination-bonus offer to €2,540 for six workers involved in a financial management computer project. The recommendation was for full and final settlement of claims relating to the project. The workers had received acting-up allowances and overtime, and said they had been promised a lump sum when the project ended. The council offered €1,905, which it said matched an earlier union request. The union argued that commitments and the council’s assurance that no team member would be disadvantaged against workers in similar counties had created an expectation of at least €2,540. The Court found the €1,905 offer was in line with payments in similar counties, but said the expectation created justified increasing the offer to €2,540. Its recommendation was conditional on acceptance in full and final settlement.