Labour Court awards driver €346.80 for public holidays

The Labour Court upheld Daniel Balasi’s appeal and directed LTL Limited to pay him €346.80 for three public holidays during agreed unpaid leave. Its determination was signed on 26 April 2023. Mr Balasi, an HGV driver, said his employment continued while he was on unpaid leave from 16 December 2021 to 10 January 2022. LTL Limited said the employment had ended by mutual consent on 15 December. The Court found Mr Balasi’s account more convincing, including because the employer’s evidence of a three-week trial conflicted with the open-ended contract it said it had issued. It found his employment continuous from 29 November 2021 to 21 January 2022. The Court said public-holiday claims are more appropriately brought under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, but allowed the Payment of Wages appeal.