Ireland Employment Law Changes

Several changes were introduced, effective from March 4th, 2019 The Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2018 has introduced several measures designed to protect employees on insecure contracts or working variable hours. Two key changes are summarized below.

Day 5 Statement

Employers must provide employees, in writing, with their core employment terms within 5 days of the start of the employment. The Statement must include:

• Full names of employer and employee;
• The full address of the employer;
• Expected duration and end date of the contract;
• The rate of pay;
• The method of calculating wages;
• The hours of work expected.

If the employer fails to provide the Statement or it contains false or misleading information the employee can be entitled to receive up to 4 weeks’ pay in compensation. Failure to provide it is also an offense liable to a fine and/or 12 months imprisonment for officers of the employer.

It is a defense to show that the employer exercised due diligence and took reasonable care.

Zero-Hours Contracts

Except in very limited cases, ‘zero hours’ contracts are prohibited. Employers are no longer able to require employees to be available for work as and when needed without providing an entitlement to a guaranteed band of weekly hours. There is also a minimum payment entitlement for employees on low hours contracts who work less than the hours stated in the contract. This prohibition does not apply to the work of a genuinely casual nature.