News
Minimum Wage Increase ‘Bad News’ For Employers
The 2016 Irish Budget’s increase in the national minimum wage is bad news for employers in Ireland. The Dublin Government’s move to increase the national minimum wage by 50 cent next year will have serious implications for employers, according to HR Team employment law specialist Martina Cullen. NEW MINIMUM WAGE IN IRELAND She said: “A 6% increase in the statutory minimum wage from €8.65 to €9.15per hour is concerning for employers and will have a negative impact on many Irish businesses. “The change which will take effect on January 1 next year will increase overall employment costs in firms with [...]
Annual leave when sick – law change in Ireland
HR Team is advising employers to note that workers can accrue annual leave while on long term sick leave. Minister for Business and Employment Ged Nash announced recently that workers absent due to long term illness can accrue annual leave. The legislation - which came into effect on August 1 - means workers are now permitted to carry over such accrued annual leave for a period of 15 months after the leave year in question. THE WORKING TIME ACT The new legislation was put in place following European Court of Justice rulings on accrual of annual leave entitlements during sick [...]
Chelsea FC doctor incident poses legal ‘Hazard’
Chelsea Football Club could find itself on an employment law injury list as a result of the saga surrounding former team doctor Eva Carneiro. Dr Carneiro very publicly incurred the wrath of Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho after she and male physio colleague Jon Fearn went to aid of Eden Hazard after being twice signalled by the referee to assist the injured player during a 2-2 draw with Swansea at Stamford Bridge on August 8. Mourinho was visibly angry as Hazard then had to temporarily depart the field leaving his team - which had already suffered a sending off - with just [...]
ECJ working time ruling ‘a barrier’ to business growth
A new EU ruling that travel time to and from first and last jobs of the day by workers with no fixed office should be regarded as work may have major implications for employers. HR Team Managing Partner Breda Cullen explained that the European Court of Justice ruling means many firms - including those employing care workers, tradespeople and sales reps - may be in breach of EU working time regulations. The top European court has been accused of tormenting businesses with the latest in a long line of rulings which put the squeeze on employers. HOW THE RULING IMPACTS [...]
KPIs matter when running a business or a race
HR Team was out in force to cheer on Managing Partner Breda Cullen as she took on the Waterside Half Marathon, posting an impressive personal best. Not only did Breda eat up the scenic Derry-Londonderry run course much quicker than last year, she completed the 13.2 mile run almost 13 minutes faster than she did in 2014. It will come as no surprise that Breda didn’t simply turn up on the day to see what happens. Unfortunately for everyone who strives to achieve personal bests in sport that’s not the way it works. To achieve such improvements in performance - [...]
Sick of the sick note – employers need not despair
By Miss Performance If I had a penny for each time an employer sighs at the arrival of a sick note, I’d be living in a palace and bathing in milk. Unfortunately I’m still in our Derry-Londonderry office hammering on the keyboard with no more than a glass of stale milk and a cup of cooling coffee - but hey, that’s no cause for despair. Equally employers need not despair when faced with cases of long term absence as there are many steps they can take to solve their issue with minimum risk. The sick note is a fact of [...]