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Wednesday 7 December 2022
Employers will soon be required to pay their staff when too sick to work.
This is the first time Ireland has had a statutory sick pay scheme.
Currently, there are discrepancies around Ireland in sick pay.
Cabinet approved the Sick Leave Bill 2022 yesterday, which will legislate for a statutory sick pay scheme in Ireland for the first time.
Statutory sick pay will be phased in to help employers to plan ahead and manage the additional costs.
An employment law expert explains the current legal situation and the government’s options.
The Tánaiste said statutory sick pay must be fair for workers and employers.
Ireland is one of only five EU members that doesn’t recognise sick pay as a right.
The union said up to half of the labour force, including hundreds of thousands of low-paid workers, do not receive sick pay.
In the 28 days up to 15 August, there were 330 confirmed Covid-19 cases associated with meat/poultry factory outbreaks.
Ireland is completely out of line with European norms in not requiring employers to continue to pay a worker’s wage if sick and unable to work, writes Dr Laura Bambrick.
The Dail is debating emergency legislation today.
The day cost the struggling company millions of euro.
I never thought, in my wildest dreams, that a mere three weeks could change my life so drastically.
Sick and injured gardaí have already been moved to lower rates of sick pay as changes in legislation reduce the amount of time they can receive the full rate.
Three quarters of companies with occupational sick pay schemes said the potential impact of a statutory scheme would result in a revision of existing sick pay and benefit entitlements.
The government has made it clear that it isn’t happy to keep footing the bill for employee sick pay – so we’ve asked Sinn Féin, TASC and IBEC what they think should be done about it.
The employers’ group publishes a survey saying almost half of all firms believe paying sick employees could affect their sustainability.
The quarterly Business Sentiment Survey shows uncertainty at the Budget – and the future of the Eurozone – is taking its toll.
The Dáil voted 70-45 in favour of a Government counter-motion noting that the Cabinet hasn’t yet approved the plans.
The party describes the reforms as “job-destroying” and is to table a motion on them before the Dáil this week.
The business group says plans to increase PRSI or make employers cover sick will hamper job creation.
The Health Minister will demand that hospitals take a tougher line with staff in order to target excessive absenteeism rates.
More than 100 staff have also had their sick leave scheme suspended in the last six months.
Placing social welfare costs onto businesses is an additional burden on employers and will result in job losses writes Ian Martin.
The amount of paid sick leave is to be reduced from six months to three months.
Last week the minister circulated a briefing document criticising Minister Joan Burton’s proposal to increase the number of sick pay days an employers pays.
All the day’s main news, plus a few bits and pieces you may have missed along the way…
The social protection minister says a dispute about reforms to sick pay is not about her or any other minister.
The Small Firms Association and the Irish Business and Employers Confederation have condemned the government’s plans to shift the burden of sick pay on to employers.
The proposals, which would see employers pay for the first four weeks of sick leave, are being discussed at a forum today.
That is according to the business owners who took part in a survey for ISME, who said that mandatory sick pay of four weeks will have a “disastrous effect” on businesses.
Retail Ireland has called on the government not to increase excise duty and not to shift the payment of sick leave onto employers in the Budget next week.
Associations attack reported plans that Joan Burton may introduce legislation making them cover four weeks of sick pay.
Irish workers claimed for 26 million days off in 2010, according to new figures.
IT WAS REPORTED yesterday that the Government is considering suspending career breaks for teachers in response to a shortage of staff in schools around the country.
For a number of months now, schools have come under increasing pressure due to unfilled job vacancies and teacher shortages, with some principals stating that the rising cost-of-living is resulting in teachers not being able to afford to live in urban areas in particular.
As a response, a number of measures are to be advanced by Government such as the potential to suspend or amend non-statutory leave arrangements which the department states has the effect of creating a demand on substitution in schools.
However, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) said in a statement yesterday evening that “such a measure would make the profession less attractive and ultimately worsen the teacher recruitment and teacher crisis”.
So, today we want to know… Should career breaks for teachers be suspended in response to staff shortages?
Share your story: voices@thejournal.ie
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