Employment Equality Act, 1998

Redress which may be ordered.

82.— (1) Subject to this section, the types of redress for which a decision of the Director under section 79 may provide are such one or more of the following as may be appropriate in the circumstances of the particular case:

(a) an order for compensation in the form of arrears of remuneration (attributable to a failure to provide equal remuneration) in respect of so much of the period of employment as begins not more than 3 years before the date of the referral under section 77 (1) which led to the decision;

(b) an order for equal remuneration from the date referred to in paragraph (a);

(c) an order for compensation for the effects of acts of discrimination or victimisation which occurred not earlier than 6 years before the date of the referral of the case under section 77 ;

(d) an order for equal treatment in whatever respect is relevant to the case;

(e) an order that a person or persons specified in the order take a course of action which is so specified.

(2) The types of redress for which a determination of the Labour Court under section 79 may provide are such one or more of the following as may be appropriate in the circumstances of the particular case:

(a) the orders referred to in paragraphs (c) to (e) of subsection (1);

(b) an order for re-instatement or re-engagement, with or without an order for compensation.

(3) The types of redress for which the Circuit Court may provide on a reference under section 77 (3) are such one or more of the following as may be appropriate in the circumstances of the particular case:

(a) an order for compensation in the form of arrears of remuneration (attributable to a failure to provide equal remuneration) in respect of so much of the period of employment as begins not more than 6 years before the date of the referral;

(b) an order for equal remuneration from the date of the referral;

(c) the orders referred to in paragraphs (c) to (e) of subsection (1);

(d) an order for re-instatement or re-engagement, with or without an order for compensation,

and no enactment relating to the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court shall be taken to limit the amount of compensation or remuneration which may be ordered by the Circuit Court by virtue of this subsection.

(4) The maximum amount which may be ordered by the Director or the Labour Court by way of compensation under subsection (1)(c) or by that Court under subsection (2)(b), in any case where the complainant was in receipt of remuneration at the date of the reference of the case, or if it was earlier, the date of dismissal, shall be an amount equal to 104 times either—

(a) the amount of that remuneration, determined on a weekly basis, or

(b) where it is greater, the amount, determined on a weekly basis, which the complainant would have received at that date but for the act of discrimination or victimisation in question,

and in any other case, shall be £10,000.

(5) Where the case for which the redress is to be provided is referred to the Director or the Labour Court and arises—

(a) under Part III , or

(b) in any other circumstances (including circumstances amounting to victimisation) to which the Equal Pay Directive or the Equal Treatment Directive is relevant,

the Director or the Labour Court, as the case may be, may, in addition to making an order for compensation, also order the payment of interest, at the rate which is applicable under section 22 (1) of the Courts Act, 1981

(i) in respect of the whole or any part of the amount of the compensation, and

(ii) in respect of the period beginning on the relevant date and ending on the date of the payment,

and, for the purposes of subparagraph (ii), “the relevant date” means the first day of the period (if any) to which the compensation is expressed to be referable or, if there is no such period, the date of the reference under section 77 (1).