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The Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar, has published details of a new law giving workers the right to request remote working from their employers. Announcing the legislation, Mr Varadkar said: "So long as the business gets done and services are provided, employers should facilitate it." HR Team Director, Martina McAuley, said: “The Right to Request Remote Working Bill 2021 will provide a legal framework for Irish employees to submit a request for remote working and have their request approved or refused by employers. "An employee will be eligible to submit a request once they have worked for their employer for six months. [...]

European Union (EU) citizens employed or self-employed in the UK but are resident elsewhere are classed as frontier workers, those working in the UK on or before December 31 2020 can also still enter the UK for work. Martina McAuley, HR Team company director, outlines the details of frontier worker status. Martina said: “Since January 1 2021, most EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who are working in the UK but living elsewhere will need to hold a frontier worker permit to enter the UK as a frontier worker - in addition to a valid passport or national identity card. “Frontier [...]

Are You Considering Moving Your business To Ireland Post-Brexit? The United Kingdom is no longer a part of European Union Customs and single market due to the UK’s exit from the European Union on January 1, 2021. The Department Of International Trade advised that the UK can mitigate border issues and VAT problems to register new companies within the EU. The British government recently announced that UK corporation tax will increase from 19% to 23% from 2023 onwards. This is double the 12.5% corporation tax rate in Ireland. It may be extremely difficult for UK companies to maintain profitability [...]

Employment law regulates the relationship between employers and employees. It governs what employers can expect from employees, what employers can ask employees to do, and employees rights at work. Employment law is a minefield with continuous changes in government guidance. It can be challenging to keep on top of the ever-changing legislation. Particularly given the uncertainty of Brexit and Covid-19, employers must act with great caution to remain legally compliant. There are multiple options available; an employer could hire an in-house HR consultant or team, acquire an employment law advisor or solicitor, or pay for outsourced HR and employment law [...]

The Workplace Relation Commission’s revelation that it carried out more than 5,000 unannounced inspections last year should serve as a warning to employers on compliance, a leading employment law adviser has said. In 2020, the WRC Inspectorate carried out a total of 7,687 inspections, of which 5,202 were unannounced. Martina McAuley, Director at HR Team, said the significant increase in completed inspections (4,804 overall in 2019, with 2,896 unannounced) “sends a strong message to employers to ensure they are compliant”. According to the WRC’s annual report, it detected 1,760 employers who were in breach of employment law, and recovered unpaid [...]

Parent’s leave is to increase from two to five weeks and will apply to both parents and adoptive parents under new legislation which comes into effect in April 2021. HR Team Director, Martina McAuley, said: “Parents in Ireland will be able to take the five weeks of leave at any time within the first two years after a child’s birth or adoption instead of in the one-year period that was previously provided for in the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019. “The new legislation means it is now time for employers in Ireland to establish new policies and procedures, or [...]

Leading HR advisor says employers are anticipating a flood of employment law cases resulting from 'willy-nilly' rejection of remote working requests by employers. Martina McAuley, Director at HR Team, said employers who are not adequately prepared to deal with remote working requests - even post Covid-19 – run the risk of serious financial penalties. Unfair Dismissal Following The Refusal Of A Remote Working Request Ms McAuley made the comments after the Workplace Relations Commission ordered an employer to compensate a worker for unfair dismissal following the refusal of a request for remote working. Ms McAuley said: “Case law now exists [...]

A leading HR specialist says laws giving employees the right to request permanent remote working will improve staff retention and motivation. HR Team Director, Breda Cullen made the comments after Tánaiste Leo Varadkar published Ireland’s first National Remote Work Strategy which aims to make remote working a permanent option after the Covid-19 pandemic. A new legally admissible code of practice on the right to disconnect from work will also be introduced - covering phone calls, emails and switch-off time. However, Ms Cullen said it is important that employers are given clarity on how exactly the legislation will impact employers. Ms [...]

June is designated as ‘Pride Month’ and seems as good a time as any for employers to be reminded of their general obligations regarding protected characteristics and discrimination in the workplace. Pride Month is dedicated to raising awareness of the concerns facing the LGBTQ+ Community as well as encouraging inclusiveness and celebrating LGBTQ+ culture.   This is the 20th anniversary of ‘Pride Month’ since the initiative was set in place by US President Bill Clinton in 1999. It is a month intended for celebration, as well as the promotion of tolerance regardless of one’s orientation. This global event highlights the [...]