A court has ruled that Air Malta must pay its Chief Human Resources Officer, James Genovese, €65,000 in unpaid performance bonuses covering 2018 to March 2024 according to Times of Malta.
Genovese filed the case in April 2024 at the First Hall of the Civil Court, just one month after Air Malta was replaced by a new flag carrier, KM Malta Airlines, in March 2024.
Genovese began working with Air Malta in 2017 as Head of People and Industrial Relations. He became Acting Chief HR Officer in 2019 and formally signed a three-year contract as Chief HR Officer in 2020. Under his contracts, he was entitled to annual performance bonuses: up to 20% of his salary before 2020, and up to €10,000 thereafter, provided key performance indicators (KPIs) were met.
Genovese argued that KPIs were never established, yet he continued performing his duties effectively. He said he received a bonus only once, in 2017, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Air Malta contended that awarding bonuses was discretionary. However, the court found no clear structures or company policies detailing bonus eligibility, citing this as a serious oversight. Judge Audrey Demicoli ruled in Genovese’s favour, quantifying the owed amount at €65,000.
Air Malta operated its final flight on 30 March 2024, after downsizing from 2021 and offering severance or public sector placements to laid-off staff. The airline was replaced the following day by KM Malta Airlines after the European Commission rejected a government request for additional state funding.
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