A Westmeath dairy farm worker has been awarded €23,000 in an employment dispute settled by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

The complainant, Edward Lattich, took a case against Mount Temple Dairy Farm Limited, Moate, Co Westmeath, for unpaid labour.

In summarising Lattich’s complaint, the WRC found that he had, from the outset, claimed that he was “routinely and systematically” underpaid wages during his brief period of employment at Mount Temple.

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Lattich commenced working at the farm on 10 December 2024 and he finished up in April 2025. He said he regularly worked 14 hours per day during his employment at the farm, often without breaks.

The complainant said from the start of 2025, once calving commenced at Mount Temple, he commenced work at 5.30am and routinely stayed until 9pm. He said that, in general, he worked every day of the week, taking only one day off in January due to illness and a further day off in February due to an extreme weather event.

Remuneration

When it came to remuneration, Lattich said he was paid a rate of €2,500 per month, regardless of hours worked.

In applying the relevant national minimum wage to the hours worked, the complainant stated that he was significantly underpaid. In his submission to the WRC, Lattich included a detailed log of his start and finish times, subtracting a 30-minute break for each day.

The working hours were corroborated with photos which included a date and time. These photos included those taken in the course of his farm duties, including photos of calf tags, as a matter of record.

Lattich said he worked 192 hours in December 2024, in excess of 353 hours in January 2025, in excess of 357 hours in February 2025, in excess of 366 hours in March 2025, and in excess of 199 hours in April 2025.

He said the working hours in April 2025 were reduced solely as his employment was terminated during that month.

Applying the relevant national minimum wage rate, including an additional premium payment for overtime worked in excess of 39 hours per week and bank holiday pay, Lattich claimed he was underpaid by €2,091.81 in December 2024, by €4,394.22 in January 2025, by €5,336.67 in February 2025, by €5,388.42 in March 2025 and by €4,193.82 in April 2025.

The complainant claimed total outstanding wages of €21,404.94 and submitted that the non-payment of the same constituted an illegal deduction for the purposes of the Payment of Wages Act.

Lattich also claimed that he did not receive accrued annual leave pay on the termination of his employment or Sunday premium pay, statutory rest periods on numerous occasions or payment for public holidays.

Respondent

In its response to the complaint, Mount Temple said Lattich had agreed to a set wage for hours worked at the commencement of his employment.

While the dairy farm accepted that this wage did not meet the national minimum wage for each hour worked, they said the purpose of this arrangement was that the complainant would work longer hours during busy times like calving and fewer hours during quieter times of the year.

While Mount Temple conceded that Lattich did not receive the national minimum wage for each hour worked during his employment, the dairy farm disputed the underpayment calculations produced by their former employee.

They accepted that the complainant initially started work at 8am in December 2024 and subsequently commenced working from 5.30am around the start of 2025.

However, during this time, Mount Temple contested that Lattich took two full hours of unpaid breaks during the day, which should be subtracted from the calculations. They also said that the complainant availed of meals, provided by the farm.

Mount Temple also disputed Lattich’s claimed finishing times. They said the complainant would socialise with the farm’s family, “often remaining for dinner as a form of social interaction”.

Findings

Reviewing the case, the WRC awarded Lattich a sum of approximately €23,000.

Despite Mount Temple’s argument to the contrary, the WRC found Lattich's complaint under the Payment of Wages Act as “well-founded” and awarded him the sum of €10,420.13 in respect of the deduction from the complainant’s lawful wages.

Under the Organisation of Working Time Act, the WRC also found Lattich’s complaint well-founded and awarded him a sum of €830.85 in unpaid Sunday premium, in addition to a payment of €500 in compensation for the breach of the Act.

On unpaid holiday pay, under the Organisation of Working Time Act, Lattich was awarded a sum of €668.25, along with €500 in compensation.

Regarding unpaid annual leave at the termination of his employment, the complainant was awarded €4,504.50, along with another €500 in compensation.

Under the Terms of Employment (Information) Act, Lattich was awarded another €4,504.50.50 in compensation.