2nd Oct 2013 13:42
LONDON (Alliance News) - Ryanair Holdings PLC Wednesday said it will appeal against EUR8 million of fines and damages imposed on it by a court in the French town of Aix En Provence Court, which ruled that Europe's largest low-cost carrier had breached labour rules.
The court ordered the Irish airline to a EUR200,000 fine plus EUR4.5 million in backdated social payments, EUR3 million in pension contributions and EUR450,000 in unemployment charges, saying that the company was wrong in not paying French employment benefits to and for workers who had been hired abroad but spent most of their time at the airline's Marseille hub.
The fines related to a period between 2007 and 2010.
"Since all of our people operating to/from Marseille between 2007 and 2010 have already paid their social taxes and pension contributions in Ireland, in full compliance with Irish and EU employment regulations, we do not believe that either Ryanair or our people can be forced to double pay these contributions a second time in France," Ryanair head of communications Robin Kiely said in a statement.
Ryanair said that if it is ultimately forced to pay the social taxes and pension contributions in France, that a vast majority would be reclaimable form the Irish Government.
"In the meantime, Ryanair and its people will continue to comply fully with Irish and EU employment law, income taxes and social tax obligations," Kiely said.
By Hana Stewart-Smith; [email protected]; @HanaSSAllNews
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