Work rights body recovers €2.5m in wages owed to 6,000 staff

OVER the last 12 months, the National Employment Rights Authority recovered €2.5m in owed wages for 6,000 workers who were not paid their statutory minimum entitlements by their employers.

NERA’s 2009 Review also revealed that a total of 108 employers were referred for prosecution for breaches of employment legislation in 2009 in comparison to 70 in 2008. In 27 cases, convictions were secured with fines ranging from €300 to €3,000.

The employment rights body’s inspectors visited approximately 8,800 during the year. NERA are tasked with enforcing the provisions of the national minimum wage and the Industrial Relations Acts which provide statutory entitlements for certain industries.