How to claim unpaid wages in Ireland: from informal complaint to the WRC

Check your figures first

Before you accuse anyone of anything, work out how much you think you should have been paid, when you should have been paid, and how much you actually received. Useful starting pages: Citizens Information on payslips and the Workplace Relations Commission.

• Payslips and the pay period each slip covers.
• Written terms / contract: rate, overtime, payday.
• Rotas, timesheets, clock records, shift messages.
• Bank credits for what actually landed.

Rebuild the shortfall in gross euro from hours and rate. Method: how to calculate unpaid hours. Evidence: working-time records and payslips and the Payment of Wages Act. Unlawful deductions: unlawful deductions from wages. Overtime background: unpaid overtime in Ireland.

Raise it with your employer

It is usually best to raise unpaid wages informally first. Talk to your manager, payroll or HR. Confirm the conversation in an email so you have a record.

In that email:

• explain how much you think you are owed and why
• show your calculations
• share evidence (payslips, contract, timesheet, roster, written agreements)
• ask for a response within a set time (for example within 7 days, or before the next payday)

Keep the tone factual. Attach the spreadsheet. Ask for a written correction and back pay by a named date. For National Minimum Wage issues, also request the written average hourly rate statement (employer has four weeks): NMW underpayment. For NMW adjudication, diary 6 months from statement receipt (or the due date if it is not provided), not only from the underpayment payday. Detail: WRC time limits and Citizens Information Minimum wage.

Present a WRC complaint if talks stall

If informal contact fails, present a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission through the online eComplaint system (or another accepted method). Official overview: WRC adjudication. Step-by-step article: WRC complaint for unpaid wages.

Name the correct legislation where you can: Payment of Wages Act 1991 for non-payment or unlawful deductions; National Minimum Wage Act 2000 for average hourly underpayment; Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 for hours, rest and leave money. Bring euro figures: "€99.05 for one week of unpaid extras that pulled the average below €14.15" moves talks; "they owe me roughly something" stalls them.

Final pay after leaving: final pay and the WRC. Time limits: 6 months, extendable to 12 for reasonable cause.

Mediation and adjudication

The WRC may offer mediation. Taking part can settle the dispute without a hearing. If the case proceeds, an Adjudication Officer hears both sides and issues a decision. Prepare a clear dossier: dates, hours, rates, shortfall, and what you want (payment of wages owed, and any related leave pay).

For NMW, remember WRC guidance on choosing the adjudicator route or the inspector route carefully for the same dispute. Do not invent parallel processes that conflict with that guidance.

Appeal to the Labour Court if needed

Either side can usually appeal a WRC adjudication decision to the Labour Court. Appeal deadlines are short. Read the decision the day it arrives. Detail: WRC to Labour Court appeal.

If a decision is not complied with, enforcement steps may follow (including District Court enforcement in some cases). That is a separate stage from filing the original complaint.

Paye Mes Heures can help you estimate unpaid hours and prepare a dossier in euro and dates before you email payroll or open a WRC complaint. It is a preparation aid, not a substitute for the WRC, the Labour Court, Citizens Information, legal advice, or a finished Ireland WRC simulator. When your table is ready, follow workplacerelations.ie for the official next click.

Frequently asked questions

Can I skip the informal email and go straight to the WRC?

You can present a complaint if talks fail or time is short. Trying to resolve it first is still sensible and creates a paper trail. Do not wait for HR if the 6-month window is about to expire: file inside the limit.

Will the WRC tell me if my claim is strong?

Information officers can explain procedures at a high level. They do not act as your solicitor. If you need advice on prospects or settlement, speak to a solicitor, a union or another adviser separately.

Can I use inspection and adjudication together for the same NMW shortfall?

WRC guidance should be read carefully: for the same NMW dispute you generally should not run both routes. Factor that choice before you lock complaint language on pure NMW arrears. If you use adjudication after the average-rate statement request, the usual clock is 6 months from statement receipt or due date, not only from the underpayment payday.

Will Paye Mes Heures file my WRC complaint?

No. Use it to estimate hours and prepare a dossier. The WRC eComplaint system and official guidance remain the claim path.

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