Courts / Dublin / Report

Chef who said he went without paid holidays for 14 years wins €55k

Summary

Masood Ur Rehman, a tandoori chef who worked for nearly fourteen years in a Dublin‑based restaurant without paid holidays, won a €55,000 award from the Workplace Relations Commission. The decision, dated 26 March, followed the restaurant's closure in January 2021. Shonagh Byrne of Siptu represented Mr Rehman at hearings in 2022 and 2023, arguing that despite the restaurant's name changing repeatedly, he was employed by the same person at the same location throughout. Mr Rehman provided evidence, with an Urdu interpreter, that he worked for the same family through a series of different companies. Adjudicator Conor Stokes found the evidence credible and ruled that Mr Rehman had continuous employment for over thirteen years.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Chef who said he went without paid holidays for 14 years wins €55k. Charges or matters: workplace rights breaches. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• 26 March Hearing Or Sentence
• January 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2 February 2007 Other
• 31 December 2020 Other
• 2022 and 2023 Other
• 2025-04-09 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial

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Read the original CNI report