Labour Court upholds Swissport lay-off decision

The Labour Court upheld a decision rejecting Shay O’Hare’s Payment of Wages Act appeal against Swissport Ireland Limited T/A Swissport. The determination, dated 15 December 2022, found his claim was not well founded and his appeal failed. O’Hare had worked as a ramp agent since 1998 and was placed on temporary lay-off in March 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. He was asked to return from August 2021 but did not do so until October 2022. The Court found that his employment contract and a collective agreement provided for unpaid lay-off, so no wages were payable during that period.