The Labour Court upheld Eduardo Garbagnati’s minimum-wage appeal, set aside the earlier decision and ordered Sign-A-Rama (Cork) Ltd t/a Sign-A-Rama to pay him €7,777.10 in outstanding wages. The Court’s decision was signed on 14 July 2015.
Garbagnati worked as a sign writer from 14 March 2011 to 26 April 2013. He told the Court he earned an annual salary of €14,791 and worked 41.5 hours a week, giving an hourly rate of €6.85. The Court found that he was paid €6.85 an hour, below the statutory minimum rate in force during his employment.
The company made no submissions and did not attend the hearing. It later said it had ceased trading and referred to the Rights Commissioner’s decision, which had found against Garbagnati. The Labour Court based its ruling on Garbagnati’s uncontested evidence and ordered payment of the outstanding wages under the National Minimum Wage Act 2000.