Garage Employer Owes Mechanic €5,400 in Overdue Wages, Court Awards Victory
In a recent ruling, Adjudicator Kara Turner ordered Gorey Automotive Services to pay Moeez Ahmad, a former apprentice mechanic, €5,418 in compensation for failing to pay the national minimum wage.
Mr. Ahmad, who worked at Gorey Automotive Services from September 30th, 2024, to January 6th, 2025, for 59 days, was not paid for the hours worked during his employment. The garage had initially stated that they would pay Mr. Ahmad once he was registered as an apprentice, but not for the "trial period". However, it was found that Mr. Ahmad had not been registered as an apprentice during his employment.
Gorey Automotive Services, represented by Adnan Farooq, argued that the deal with Mr. Ahmad was that he would be paid cash until he was registered as an apprentice at the apprentice rate of pay. However, Adjudicator Kara Turner found that there was no lawful basis to support the respondent's position that an hourly pay rate of €4.75, or other apprentice rate of pay, was the properly payable rate.
In Ireland, apprentices are exempt from the National Minimum Wage rate under the National Minimum Wage Act 2000. Instead, their pay rates are typically governed by other legal frameworks such as Sectoral Employment Agreements or collective agreements rather than the general minimum wage laws. From 1 January 2025, the national minimum wage is set at €13.50 per hour for employees aged 20 or over, with lower percentage rates for younger workers under 20.
Apprentices must be registered as such; failure to do so can entitle them to the full minimum wage corresponding to their age rather than any reduced apprentice rates. The case serves as a reminder to employers to ensure apprentices are properly registered to clarify applicable pay rates.
In this case, Mr. Ahmad was entitled to the national minimum wage applicable to his age for his time in employment with the garage. The appropriate rate for an apprentice motor mechanic, according to Adnan Farooq, was €190 a week. However, the minimum wage applicable to Mr. Ahmad, according to his age, was €11.43 an hour up to the end of 2024, and rose to €12.15 in 2025.
Any issue about the exchange of registration forms with Solas was "immaterial" according to Adjudicator Kara Turner. The garage has been directed to pay Mr. Ahmad the outstanding wages, amounting to €5,418, for the hours worked during his employment.
This distinction is important for employers and apprentices to understand their rights and obligations under Irish employment law. Employers should ensure apprentices are properly registered to clarify applicable pay rates, and apprentices should be aware that they are entitled to the national minimum wage if not registered as an apprentice.
- The ruling emphasizes the importance of registering apprentices in the workplace, as failure to do so can entitle them to the full national minimum wage, rather than apprentice rates.
- To avoid similar situations, employers must ensure that apprentices are properly registered, as this not only clarifies their applicable pay rates but also ensures compliance with Ireland's health-and-wellness and workplace-wellness regulations, contributing to overall science-based labor laws and health-and-wellness initiatives.
