Andorran court rules in favour of SAAS and rejects €6 million in bonuses claimed by healthcare workers
The ruling dismisses a collective lawsuit filed by 150 employees and orders the USdA union to pay legal costs, although an appeal is being considered
An Andorran court has ruled in favour of the Andorran Healthcare Service (SAAS) in a labour dispute over performance-related bonuses that the public healthcare organisation stopped paying between 2012 and 2022.
The first-instance ruling dismisses the collective lawsuit filed by the healthcare branch of the Unió Sindical d'Andorra (USdA), which had sought approximately €6 million in unpaid salary bonuses.
According to RTVA, the decision comes six months after the trial and brings the proceedings to a close at first instance. The case was brought by 150 healthcare workers who argued that they were entitled to receive bonuses linked to the achievement of professional performance targets.
The ruling represents a legal victory for SAAS management, although the dispute could continue if the union decides to appeal.
The union will have to pay legal costs
The court has not only rejected the workers' financial claim but has also ordered the claimants to pay all legal costs, including lawyers' fees.
The decision represents a setback for USdA, which launched the collective legal action in early 2026 following years of disagreement over the payment of performance-related bonuses, known as DPOs, linked to the achievement of specific professional objectives.
Despite the ruling, the union has not yet decided whether to accept the decision or appeal to Andorra's High Court of Justice.
The judgment could therefore still be reviewed by a higher court.
New collective agreement restores performance bonuses
For its part, SAAS management has informed employees that it respects the union's right to appeal the judgment, while highlighting progress made during recent labour negotiations.
In this regard, management has pointed out that the new collective bargaining agreement, signed a few months ago, already provides for the reinstatement of performance-related bonuses, one of the main demands raised by healthcare professionals.
The public healthcare organisation maintains that dialogue between management and employee representatives is the best way to continue improving working conditions.
As a result, although the court has rejected the retroactive payment of bonuses claimed for the period between 2012 and 2022, performance-related bonuses have been reinstated under the current SAAS employment framework.
The dispute may not yet be over, however, as the union is still considering whether to challenge the ruling before the High Court of Justice.