News
Wellness At Work Will Boost Performance And Productivity
National Workplace Wellbeing Day will take place on April 29, 2022. Building a sustainable, long-term approach to health and wellbeing has never been so important, as the world of work continues to evolve following the Covid-19 crisis. The pandemic highlighted the importance of mental health for employers and employees alike. However, even pre-pandemic research identified that employee mental health problems were costing UK businesses between £33 billion and £42 billion a year, and a huge £100 billion for the economy overall. What Is Employee Wellbeing? Many employers only focus on employees’ health benefits when it comes to employee wellbeing. However, [...]
New Sick Pay Laws Put Further Strain on Embattled Employers
Employers may struggle to meet their obligations under new laws making sick pay mandatory, as businesses continue to tackle the unprecedented recent financial pressures. HR Team Director Martina McAuley says the Sick Leave Bill 2022, “while positive for employees”, would put already embattled businesses under further strain. The Irish Cabinet has signed off on the proposed new laws to make it mandatory for all employers to offer a minimum level of sick pay. The Bill will now begin its passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas. Ms McAuley says: “Many in the Irish business community are reeling from the financial [...]
Neurodiversity In The Workplace
In light of autism acceptance week from March 28 until April 3, HR Team will be discussing neurodiversity in the workplace. What Is Neurodiversity? Neurodiverse individuals are those with developmental disabilities such as autism, ADHD and social anxiety disorders. However, there’s a growing understanding that these individuals aren’t disabled per se, but rather differently-abled. Neurodiversity refers to the different ways we think. Most people are neurotypical. In other words, they process information in a similar way and as society expects. With neurodivergent people, the brain functions, learns and processes information differently. Most people experience neurodivergence along a ‘spectrum’ of characteristics, [...]
The HR Advisor March 2022
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The HR Advisor February 2022
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Government Approves The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill to Protect Employee Tips and Give Customers Transparency
The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar, has approved ‘The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill’ that will give new rights to employees - forbidding the use of tips and gratuities to make up contractual rates of pay. Employers will have new requirements to clearly display their policy on how card and cash tips, gratuities, and service charges are distributed. All electronic tips must now be distributed fairly and in a transparent way. Mr Varadkar said: “This new law will, for the first time, give workers legal protections over tips. It will mean that any tips received [...]
Tánaiste Introduces Legal Framework For Remote Working Requests
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. [...]
Managing The Probationary Period
Probationary periods are included as a standard practice in most employment contracts. This is frequently provided for in employment contracts to allow for a trial period in which an employer can evaluate an employee’s suitability and performance. However, probationary periods are not without pitfalls, and dismissal can carry many legal risks during this trial period. Employment contracts that do not contain a probation disclaimer could cause problems for the employer if recruitment is not successful. The Legality Of Probationary Periods Firstly, it is worth noting that although you are not legally obliged to include probationary periods for all new recruits, [...]
Entering the final ‘frontier’ for EU workers post-Brexit – What to know
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 [...]
The HR Advisor January 2022
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