Labour Court upholds WRC decision after refusing late appeal

The Labour Court upheld the WRC decision in Paul Scales’s case after refusing to extend the deadline for his appeal. The determination, dated 5 December 2022, said the appeal was received outside the 42-day limit; the merits of the appeal were not decided. Scales cited Christmas, Covid restrictions, a lack of understanding of the time limit and his physical disability as reasons for the delay. Euro Parks Ireland Limited argued that Christmas was not exceptional and that nothing prevented a timely appeal during the pandemic. The Court found Christmas was not exceptional, and Scales had given no credible reason why the pandemic prevented him filing on time. It also said ignorance of the law was no excuse. The WRC decision, which had found his complaints not well founded, therefore remained in place.