Migrant Rights Centre Ireland welcomes landmark ruling
The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has awarded more than €79,000 to an Indian national who was subjected to what was described as “economic slavery” while employed as a chef at Guru Indian Cuisine in Dundalk, Co. Louth. The case was brought by the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) on behalf of Mr. Vasantkumar Barot against his employer, Madhu Foods Limited.
The decision, issued on 18 March 2026 by Adjudication Officer Brian Dalton, found in favour of Mr. Barot across multiple complaints, including breaches of the National Minimum Wage Act, the Organisation of Working Time Act, and the Employment Equality Act, with the WRC finding that Mr. Barot had been harassed on the grounds of his race.
MRCI Submission to WRC
Mr. Barot, an Indian national with no English, was recruited in India in September 2022 by the owner of Guru Indian Cuisine, Gauravbhai Barot, and was promised work as a Commis Chef for approximately 40 hours per week at around €570 per week. Before he had even set foot in Ireland, Mr. Barot was required to pay approximately €12,500 in “recruitment fees” — money he was falsely told was needed to cover the cost of his work permit. He borrowed these funds from family and friends in India.
Upon his arrival in Ireland in Mr. Barot was required to work from 8am to 10:30pm Monday to Friday, and from 2pm to 2am on weekends, totalling more than 96 hours per week — more than double the legal maximum. Before each restaurant shift, he was required to carry out farm work, gardening, and personal errands for his employer. He was paid an average of just €2.96 per hour in 2023 and €1.61 per hour in 2024, a fraction of the National Minimum Wage. His employment ended in April 2024 after the respondent threatened to confine him to his home.
The WRC’s Findings
The WRC found multiple serious breaches of employment law and made awards totalling over €79,000, including:
- €24,500 in arrears under the National Minimum Wage Act
- €15,000 for excessive working hours under the Organisation of Working Time Act
- €15,000 for racial harassment under the Employment Equality Act
- €10,000 for failure to provide daily rest periods
- €5,000 for failure to provide rest breaks during shifts
- €5,000 for failure to provide weekly rest periods
- €3,120 for unpaid annual leave
- €761.28 for unpaid Sunday premium pay
- €532.44 for unpaid public holiday entitlements
- €300 for breach of the Terms of Employment (Information) Act
The WRC also found that Mr. Barot was constructively dismissed, though no separate financial award was made under the Unfair Dismissals Act to avoid double compensation.
MRCI Response
Neil Bruton, Director at the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, said:
“This decision is a significant recognition of the severe exploitation that Vasantkumar endured. He came to Ireland with hope for a better future and instead was subjected to what we described as “economic slavery”. We are glad that the WRC has taken these breaches seriously and made substantial awards.”
“Cases like this are not isolated. Migrant workers on employment permits are among the most vulnerable people in the Irish labour market. When a worker’s right to remain in the country is tied entirely to one employer, the potential for exploitation is enormous. We call on the State to make it easier for a worker to change employer, ensure that enforcement mechanisms are robust, that workers know their rights, and that employers who engage in such egregious exploitation face meaningful consequences.”
The MRCI launched a new report entitled Tied to Exploitation: The Experience of Migrant Workers in Ireland on 23rd March 2026 which showed how systemic cases like this are, and also contained recommendations for Government.
For more information, please contact:
Neil Bruton, MRCI Director on neil@mrci.ie
Sylwia Nowakowska, Workers Rights Coordinator on sylwia@mrci.ie
