Labour Court recommends 1.5 times annual earnings loss for Donegal VEC workers

In 2011, the Labour Court recommended compensation at 1.5 times the annual earnings loss for workers laid off by Donegal VEC. The recommendation was signed on 17 October. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union said the workers had lost three months’ earnings and cited a compensation formula used in public-service cases. Donegal VEC said it needed approval from the Department of Education and Skills to pay compensation because its funding and revenues had fallen. The Court said the Public Service Agreement 2010–2011 set compensation at 1.5 times the annual loss. It recommended that Donegal VEC seek the required sanction and, if it was refused, restore the affected workers to full-time work or offer suitable alternative employment.