Muhammad Younis was owed over €92,500 in unpaid wages over a period of 7 years in a Clondalkin restaurant.
Muhammad won a Supreme Court judgement overturning an earlier ruling that he was not entitled to compensation as an undocumented worker.
The decision to make the award was made by the Rights Commissioner in 2011 and endorsed by the Labour Court but it was overturned by the High Court in 2012. The Supreme Court reversed this decision.
Mr Younis, who is from Pakistan, came to Ireland in 2002 to work as a chef in the Poppadom restaurant in Clondalkin, owned by his cousin, Mr Amjad Hussein. Mr Younis worked here from ’02 to ’09.
Mr Younis, who does not speak English, claims that he had been exploited by his cousin when he arrived in Ireland.
Mr Younis says that he was required to work seven days a week, with no holidays.
Younis was subjected to frequent threats and forced to work up to 80 hours a week without a contract. He also made complaints about the accommodation provided by his cousin.
Cousin and restaurant owner, Mr Hussein denies these claims saying that Mr Younis worked for him as a member of his family and claimed that he was not an employee.
Restaurant owner, Amjad Hussein, confiscated his passport and paid him just 51 cent an hour, during his first three years of employment.
Representatives of the Migrants Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) supported Mr Younis in leaving the restaurant.
Younis expressed his gratitude this afternoon by saying :”I am very happy. I want to thank all my supporters. After six years I have finally got justice”.