Mechanic wins €5,400 in unpaid wages from employer

Workplace Relations Commission rejects claim that unregistered apprentice was only owed a trainee rate

Mechanic wins €5,400 in unpaid wages from employer
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The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has awarded €5,418 in unpaid wages to a mechanic after his employer failed to prove he was entitled to pay him less than the national minimum wage. The mechanic, Moeez Ahmad, had filed a complaint under the Payment of Wages Act 1991 against his former employer, Gorey Automotive Services.

The tribunal heard that Mr Ahmad worked full-time for three months, from 30th September 2024 to 6th January 2025, but was not paid for the hours he worked. The employer argued that Mr Ahmad was an apprentice and therefore only entitled to an apprentice rate of €4.75 an hour. The garage claimed it intended to pay him at this rate once he was officially registered with the State training agency, Solas, and that registration forms had been “misdirected in the post.”

WRC adjudicator Kara Turner rejected the employer’s argument. She noted that since Mr Ahmad was not a registered apprentice, he was entitled to the national minimum wage, which for his age was €11.43 an hour in 2024 and rose to €12.15 in 2025. The adjudicator found there was “no lawful basis” for the garage’s position that an hourly rate of €4.75 was the correct payable rate.

Based on the national minimum wage, Ms Turner found that Mr Ahmad was entitled to the full amount he had claimed, resulting in the €5,418 award.

Source: Irish Times

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