The Workplace Relations Commission handles employment complaints in Ireland — mediation, adjudication, inspection, and appeals to the Labour Court.
The three deadlines
- Six months — most employment complaints, including unfair dismissal, from the date of termination
- One year (52 weeks) — redundancy-payment disputes specifically
- Two years — the WRC's discretion to extend the redundancy window where the delay was due to reasonable cause
For unfair dismissal, sources also note a 52-week window with extension to 104 weeks in exceptional circumstances. Confirm which applies to your specific claim type before relying on a date.
Unfair dismissal
The Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977-2015 apply after 12 months' service.
There is no qualifying period for dismissals connected to pregnancy, union activity, or protected disclosures.
When a redundancy is unfair
A redundancy is unfair if:
- It was not a genuine redundancy situation
- The selection was discriminatory or unfair
- Proper procedures were not followed
A redundancy connected to pregnancy or maternity leave is automatically unfair.
If you were replaced
If your employer makes you redundant then hires someone else to do the exact same job shortly after, that may be unfair dismissal — the job itself must have gone.
The nine discrimination grounds
The Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 ban discrimination on nine grounds.
Working time
The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 caps hours at 48 and gives 4 weeks' paid leave.
The minimum wage
€14.15 per hour from 1 January 2026. Tips cannot be used to make up the floor.
Before signing a settlement
Have a solicitor review the terms. In particular, check whether you are being asked to waive future claims — such as unfair dismissal or discrimination — in exchange for the payment.
Settlement agreements typically require an independent legal advice certificate to be binding.