Tag: WRC

The Right to Request Remote Work: A Balancing Act for Irish Employers and Employees

September 23, 2024 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

In February 2020, COVID-19 arrived in Ireland, quickly leading to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused one of the longest lockdowns experienced in Europe. The lockdown led to most of Ireland’s workforce not being able to work in their buildings or offices, causing a majority of them to work from home. Before 2020, remote work was once seen as a luxury or a niche option but is now the norm, and the demand for remote work has been increasing since then, with most businesses now offering remote work as a way to cut down on extra costs. Remote work saw a large impact on the legal sector, with most firms still recovering to pre-pandemic operations. In response to remote work becoming more popular within Ireland, the Irish government aimed to establish a legal framework to govern remote work practices.

An Argument in favour of a Diversity and Inclusion Policy

August 23, 2024 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

A Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Policy is not a required governance document under current Irish law, however, there are several reasons why a business might consider creating and utilising a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Policy.

Public Holidays 2024

December 30, 2023 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

There are ten public holidays in 2024. When a public holiday arises every employee is entitled to a paid day off on the day of the holiday, unless the employer decides to treat it as a normal working day. If the employer decides not to allow the public holiday or if the holiday falls on a day that is not a normal working day (such as a weekend), the employer may elect to give the employee either:

Employment Law Update: Paid Sick Leave

December 5, 2023 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

Under the Sick Leave Act 2022 all employees with at least thirteen week service are entitled to paid sick leave from their employer. In 2024 the number of paid days increases from 3 to 5. An employer must pay the employee for work missed due to illness for up to 5 days in a year.

Employment Law Update: Domestic Violence Leave Comes into Effect.

November 27, 2023 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

People experiencing domestic violence or at risk of domestic violence are now entitled to five days of paid leave from work under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023.

Employment Law: Enhanced Protections for Breastfeeding Workers, Parents and Carers

June 28, 2023 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was signed into law on 4^th April last, with the provisions to take effect upon Commencement Orders as signed by the Minister. The new rights under the Act include:

A right for parents of under 12s and carers to request flexible working;
A right to five days leave each year (unpaid) for personal care for serious medical reasons for parents or family carers;
A right to request remote working;
A right to five paid days leave each year for victims of domestic violence;
An extension of the right to paid breastfeeding breaks from six months to two years.

Employment Law Guide: Bullying and Harassment at Work

November 16, 2020 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

No employer wants to learn that one of their employees is experiencing bullying or harassment at work. Workplace bullying is a health and safety issue and employers have a duty to provide a safe place of work. The consequences of failing to so provide can be extreme; ranging from lost productivity to reputational damage to high staff turn-over to civil liability for personal injuries or constructive dismissal. Continue reading

Employment Law Guide: Health and Safety at Work

November 11, 2020 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 as amended provides that employers must

Do all that is reasonably practicable to ensure the safety, health and welfare of their workers
Manage and conduct work activities (including behaviors at work) so as to avoid a risk to their workers
Plan and maintain a safe system of work
Plan and maintain a safe workplace including all equipment
Prevent known risks
Provide personal protective equipment where it is needed
Provide training in the relevant language

Employment Law Guide: Collective Redundancy

November 9, 2020 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

A collective redundancy arises when the employer intends to make redundant the roles of a large number of employees. This can arise where the business is shutting down or where the employer has decided to carry on with a reduced number of employees. Unfortunately, given the pandemic-related stresses on businesses, we can expect to see more collective redundancies as businesses succumb to the pressures. Continue reading

Employment Law Guide: Termination for Unsafe Conduct

November 2, 2020 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

Employers have an obligation to provide a safe place of work for all of their employees, as well as to ensure that no members of the public are endangered by their activities. When an employee breaches health and safety legislation or the health and safety policy of the company, the employer must always take this conduct seriously. Failure to do so can leave the employer open to both civil and criminal liability. Continue reading