Your employer must keep detailed records of the hours you work each day and week. They must also keep a record of any leave, rest periods and breaks you take. To find out more visit the Weekly Working Hours Section of the Organisation of Working Time Act.
In the past you had no legal right to be paid by your employer while you were out on sick leave even in the case of a workplace accident. This changed in 2022 when the Sick Leave Act 2022 became law. It took effect on 1st January 2023. You have a right to 3 days’ statutory sick pay per year, this will be incremental up to 2026. Sick pay is paid by the employer at 70% of your normal pay up to a maximum of €110. To find out more visit Section 7 of the Sick Leave Act 2022.
You should report any workplace accident to your employer. Your employer must report certain accidents to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA). If you miss more than 3 consecutive days at work because of an accident or injury, your employer must report this to the HSA. The 3 days does not include the day of the accident.
For all employers please visit the HSA Accident and Dangerous Occurrence Reporting Section.
This gear is called PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). Employers must ensure their employees’ safety, health and welfare at work, as far as reasonably practicable.
To prevent workplace injuries and ill-health, the employer must:
- Provide and maintain a safe workplace (which uses safe plant and equipment)
- Prevent risks from employees using any article or substance, and from exposure to physical agents, noise and vibration
- Prevent any improper conduct or behaviour likely to put the safety, health and welfare of employees at risk
- Provide instruction and training to employees on health and safety
- Provide protective clothing and equipment to employees
- Appoint a competent person as the organisation’s safety officer.
As an employer you are obliged, as part of the training that you give any new employee,
to inform them of any risk involved in their work that requires the wearing of PPE. It is then your duty to provide any PPE that your risk assessments indicate your employees need, free of charge, as their own personal equipment, together with training on how and when to use it (any PPE you supply must meet EU standards). In general, any equipment that is necessary for the safe execution of a task is deemed to be PPE.
(Taken from Page 43 of Health, Safety and Well-Being Guide for the Horse Breeding and Racing Sectors)
You can apply for a Medical Card by filling in this form or by calling 0818 22 44 78 to have a form posted to you if you don’t have a printer. If you need any help printing or filling out this form you can contact the ISSA office on 045 531 911.
Your subsistence is tax-free but all other hours worked are taxed. Please refer to your Contract of Work as all this information should be there. Contact the office if you have any more questions on 045 531 911.
Most employees are entitled to four times what you work (weekly). Usually, employees can ask to take annual leave at certain times. Your employer can accept your request or refuse your request. Your employer decides when annual leave can be taken but this is subject to a number of conditions. Your employer must:
- Take into account your family responsibilities as well as the available opportunities for rest and recreation.
- Discuss your annual leave with you or your rep. at least one month before you are to take leave.
Also, your employer should have a procedure in place for requesting annual leave or this should be clear in your Contract of Work, if not, then the legal position that an employee requesting leave must give notice of a least twice the period of leave (e.g. 2 weeks off, one month’s notice).
The WFP is a tax-free weekly payment for employees with children. It supports people who are on low pay and this used to be call Family Income Support (FIS). Please click here to find out more or application information. Contact the office on 045 531 911 if you need any help.