Former restaurant staff free to claim benefits

FORMER employees left without any income since the Brannigan’s restaurant chain went into liquidation last month will receive state benefits so long as they can prove they worked at the business.

While the Mahon Point-based business went into voluntary liquidation six weeks ago, up to 40 former employees have been unable to claim dole or redundancy payments as their former employer has not handed over their P45s or income levy certificates.

The documents, which must be handed over according to the 2003 Redundancy Payments Act when an individual is told their job is gone, are needed if someone is to receive social welfare payments. But, the Cork social welfare office confirmed that while dozens of former workers are waiting for the documents they will still be able to claim state payments by showing a formal letter from the company confirming when it went into liquidation.