LC Procedure
Workplace Relations Act
Appeal to Labour Court from decision of adjudication officer
44. (1) (a) A party to proceedings under section 41 may appeal a decision of an adjudication officer given in those proceedings to the Labour Court and, where the party does so, the Labour Court shall—
(i) give the parties to the appeal an opportunity to be heard by it and to present to it any evidence relevant to the appeal,
(ii) make a decision in relation to the appeal in accordance with the relevant redress provision, and
(iii) give the parties to the appeal a copy of that decision in writing.
(b) In this subsection “relevant redress provision” means—
(i) in relation to an appeal from a decision of an adjudication officer under section 41 relating to a complaint under that section of a contravention of a provision of an enactment specified in Part 1 or 2 of Schedule 5, the provision of that enactment specified in Part 2 of Schedule 6,
(ii) in relation to an appeal from a decision of an adjudication officer under section 41 relating to a dispute as to the entitlements of an employee under an enactment specified in Part 3 of Schedule 5, the provision of that enactment specified in Part 2 of Schedule 6 and
(iii) in relation to an appeal from a decision of an adjudication officer under section 41 relating to a complaint under subsection (3) of that section, paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to the Act of 2012.
(2) An appeal under this section shall be initiated by the party concerned giving a notice in writing to the Labour Court containing such particulars as are determined by the Labour Court in accordance with rules under subsection (5) of section 20 of the Act of 1946 and stating that the party concerned is appealing the decision to which it relates.
(3) Subject to subsection (4) , a notice under subsection (2) shall be given to the Labour Court not later than 42 days from the date of the decision concerned.
(4) The Labour Court may direct that a notice under subsection (2) may be given to it after the expiration of the period specified in subsection (3) if it is satisfied that the notice was not so given before such expiration due to the existence of exceptional circumstances.
(5) A copy of a notice under subsection (2) shall be given by the Labour Court to the other party concerned as soon as may be after the receipt of the notice by the Labour Court.
(6) The Labour Court may refer a question of law arising in proceedings before it under this section to the High Court for determination by the High Court and the determination of the High Court shall be final and conclusive.
(7) Proceedings under this section shall be conducted in public unless the Labour Court, upon the application of a party to the appeal, determines that, due to the existence of special circumstances, the proceedings (or part thereof) should be conducted otherwise than in public.
(8) The Labour Court may, by notice in writing given to the parties to an appeal under this section, correct any mistake (including any omission) of an administrative or clerical nature in a decision under this section in relation to the appeal.
(9) (a) In proceedings before the Labour Court under this section, the appellant or respondent (including an appellant or respondent to whom paragraph (b) applies) may be accompanied and represented by—
(i) a trade union official within the meaning of section 11 of the Act of 1990,
(ii) an official of a body that, in the opinion of the Labour Court, represents the interests of employers,
(iii) a practising barrister or practising solicitor, or
(iv) any other person, if the Labour Court so permits.
(b) In proceedings before the Labour Court under this section, the appellant or respondent may, if he or she has not yet attained the age of 18 years, be accompanied and represented by his or her parent or guardian.
Annotations:
Modifications (not altering text):
C7
Application of section modified (1.08.2016) by Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 (11/2016), s. 28(2), S.I. No. 435 of 2016.
Decision under Act of 2015
28. …
(2) A decision of the Labour Court under section 44 of the Act of 2015 on appeal from a decision referred to in subsection (1) may include such directions to the parties to the appeal as the Labour Court considers necessary or expedient for the resolution of the matter, and if the decision is in favour of the employee then, without prejudice to the power to give such directions, the Labour Court may order—
(a) the grant of leave for such period as may be so specified,
(b) an award of compensation (in favour of the employee to be paid by the relevant employer) of such amount, not exceeding 2 weeks’ remuneration in respect of the employee’s employment calculated in such manner as may be prescribed, by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, as the Labour Court considers just and equitable having regard to all of the circumstances, or
(c) both such grant and such award.
C8
Application of section modified by Redundancy Payments Act 1967 (21/1967), s. 39A; as inserted (1.10.2015) by National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Act 2015 (22/2015), s. 13(1), commenced as per subs. (2) by S.I. No. 410 of 2015.
Appeal to Labour Court from decision of adjudication officer
39A. Section 44 of the Act of 2015 shall apply to a decision of an adjudication officer given in relation to an appeal under subsection (15), or a question referred to the Director General under subsection (16), of section 39 of this Act as it applies to a decision of an adjudication officer under section 41 of that Act, subject to the following modifications:
(a) the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (1):
‘(1) (a) A party to an appeal under subsection (15), or proceedings in relation to a question referred to the Director General under subsection (16), of section 39 of the Act of 1967 may appeal a decision of an adjudication officer given in that appeal or those proceedings to the Labour Court and, where the party does so, the Labour Court shall—
(i) give the parties to the second-mentioned appeal an opportunity to be heard by it and to present to it any evidence relevant to the appeal,
(ii) make a decision in relation to the appeal affirming, varying or setting aside the decision of the adjudication officer to which the appeal relates, and
(iii) give the parties to the appeal a copy of that decision in writing.
(b) The Labour Court shall have power to make any decision in an appeal under this paragraph that an adjudication officer has power to make on the hearing of an appeal under subsection (15), or a question referred to the Director General under subsection (16), of section 39 of the Act of 1967.’;
and
(b) any other necessary modifications.]
C9
Application of section modified by Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) Act 1984 (21/1984), s. 9A; as inserted by National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Act 2015 (22/2015), s. 15(1), commenced as per subs. (2) by S.I. No. 410 of 2015.
Appeal to Labour Court from declaration of adjudication officer
9A. Section 44 of the Act of 2015 shall apply to a declaration of an adjudication officer given in relation to a complaint under section 9 as it applies to a decision of an adjudication officer given in proceedings under section 41 of that Act, subject to the following modifications:
(a) the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (1):
(1) A party to proceedings in relation to a complaint under section 9 of the Act of 1984 may appeal a declaration of an adjudication officer given in those proceedings to the Labour Court and, where the party does so, the Labour Court shall—
(a) give the parties to the appeal an opportunity to be heard by it and to present to it any evidence relevant to the appeal,
(b) make a decision in relation to the appeal affirming, varying or setting aside the declaration of the adjudication officer to which the appeal relates, and
(c) give the parties to the appeal a copy of that decision in writing.’;
and
(b) any other necessary modifications.]
C10
Application of section modified by Employment Equality Act 1998 (21/1998), s. 83; as substituted by National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Act 2015 (22/2015), s. 17(1)(a), commenced as per subs. (2) by S.I. No. 410 of 2015.
Appeals from the Director to the Labour Court.
[83. Section 44 of the Act of 2015 shall apply to a decision of the Director General of the Workplace Relations Commission under section 79 as it applies to a decision of an adjudication officer under section 41 of that Act, subject to the following modifications:
(a) the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (1):
‘(1) (a) A party to a case referred to the Director General of the Workplace Relations Commission under section 77 of the Act of 1998 may appeal a decision of the Director General given in an investigation in relation to that case under section 79 of that Act to the Labour Court and, where the party does so, the Labour Court shall—
(i) give the parties to the appeal an opportunity to be heard by it and to present to it any evidence relevant to the appeal,
(ii) make a decision in relation to the appeal affirming, varying or setting aside the decision of the adjudication officer to which the appeal relates, and
(iii) give the parties to the appeal a copy of that decision in writing.
(b) The Labour Court shall have power to grant such redress in an appeal under this paragraph as the Director General has power to grant in an investigation under section 79 of the Act of 1998.’;
and
(b) any other necessary modifications.]
C11
Application of section restricted (1.08.2015) by Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015 (27/2015), s. 23(3), S.I. No. 329 of 2015.
Decision of adjudication officer under section 41 of Act of 2015
23. …
(3) A decision of the Court under section 44 of the Act of 2015, on appeal from a decision of an adjudication officer to which this section applies, shall affirm, vary or set aside the decision of the adjudication officer.
Appeal to High Court on point of law
46. A party to proceedings before the Labour Court under this Part may, not later than 42 days from the service on that party of notice of the decision of the Labour Court in those proceedings, appeal that decision to the High Court on a point of law, and the decision of the High Court in relation thereto shall be final and conclusive.
The text in italics on this page is sourced from lawreform.ie and is re-published under the Licence for Re-Use of Public Sector Information made pursuant to Directive 2003/98/EC Directive 2013/37/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the re-use of public sector information transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Re-Use of Public Sector Information) Regulations 2005 to 2015.