Question of employment status under the spotlight in case that sees fiddle player awarded almost €44,000 by WRC

The Workplace Relations Commission this month ruled that the musician, who had been engaged since 2013 as an independent contractor by a management company which oversaw a country singer’s band, was an employee in practice. After being dismissed from the band in September 2021, the musician lodged ten employment rights claims with the WRC in relation to unfair dismissal, minimum notice, holiday and public holiday pay and Sunday premium and other alleged breaches of employment rights.

The WRC heard that he received €280 per gig and had an average of...