He said he had been told in 2018 that he would be appointed research associate professor and paid at the associate professor grade, a scale that ranges from €92,000 to more than €118,000. The university responded, however, that the worker does not hold a substantive academic post and so is not entitled to be paid according to an academic pay scale. It said all such posts are filled by international competition and his associate professor title was, the court reported in its decision, “honorary in nature only and not linked to any grade or pay scale”. The court said the employer “acknowledged this by bestowing on him the title of associate research professor”. “It is beyond doubt that this is nothing more than an honorary title and is not linked to any substantive grade or pay scale.

Source: The Irish Times January 25, 2026 12:31 UTC