Labour Court rejects Daniel Collins’s appeal over unfair-dismissal claim

The Labour Court rejected Daniel Collins’s appeal against the dismissal of his unfair-dismissal claim, finding that his employment had not ended by way of dismissal. The determination was signed on 12 January 2018, and the Court affirmed the adjudication officer’s decision. Collins, a residential adviser at St Patrick’s College, agreed in 2014 to a final contract ending on 31 August 2015, with a €5,000 ex-gratia payment. He said he expected to receive the full amount and would not have signed otherwise. After tax deductions, he received €2,410 net. The College said it had incorrectly advised him about the tax treatment but was legally required to deduct tax; it offered €2,590 to address the shortfall. The Court found Collins had entered the agreement and became unhappy with it only after leaving his job and receiving the reduced payment. It concluded that his employment had not ended in circumstances amounting to a dismissal. His complaint was not well founded.