Service
A guide to working in Ireland
From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Published on
Last updated on
Workers have a number of rights when it comes to working in Ireland.
There are a range of rights for those who are categorised as employees. These rights are not the same as the rights for the self-employed (including independent contractors).
The maximum average working week for most employees cannot exceed 48 hours. However, this does not mean that you can never work more than 48 hours. You can, but you cannot work for more than 48 hours a week on average.
This average can be calculated differently for people working in different industries:
There are exceptions to the laws on working hours for:
Most employees are entitled to a minimum of 4 weeks' paid annual leave per year. However, you can agree on more than this in your employment contract with your employer.
Your annual leave is calculated based on what is called the leave year. This runs from 1 April until 31 March each year. However, some employers use the calendar year to calculate annual leave.
There are 3 main methods used to calculate your annual leave. As an employee, you can choose whichever of the below methods gives you the greatest entitlement:
All full-time employees are entitled to 9 public holidays each year. If you have to work on a public holiday you are entitled to either an extra day's pay or an extra day's holiday.
If you work part-time you must have worked at least 40 hours in total over the 5 weeks immediately before the public holiday. If you work part-time and the public holiday falls on a day you don't work - then you are entitled to 20% of your pay for that day.
Overtime is seen as a contractual issue in Ireland. Your employment contract should state if you have to work overtime and the rate of pay you will get if you do work it.
The Sick Leave Act 2022 commenced on 1 January 2023 and introduced a new statutory right to employer-paid sick leave. Workers are entitled to up to 3 days of employer-paid sick leave in a year, paid at 70% of gross salary up to a cap of €110 per day. The scheme will cover the three waiting days before eligibility for Illness Benefit from the State.
Employees must have completed 13 weeks’ continuous service with the employer before availing of statutory sick leave. The employee must provide their employer with a medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner and the certificate must state that the employee named is unfit to work due to their illness or injury.
Further information is available at Sick Leave - Workplace Relations Commission
If you are being dismissed from your job you are entitled to:
The minimum amount of notice you are entitled to depends on how long you have worked for your employer.
| Time you were employed | Minimum notice period |
| 13 weeks to 2 years | 1 week |
| 2 years to 5 years | 2 weeks |
| 5 years to 10 years | 4 weeks |
| 10 years to 15 years | 6 weeks |
| 15 years or more | 8 weeks |
You may be required to work the notice period or you may accept payment in lieu of notice, if offered.
If you get payment in lieu of notice you are considered to be unemployed and available for work during this period. This means that you can claim a jobseeker's payment.
Your right to notice can be waived only if you agree to that with your employer.
You can be dismissed without notice for serious misconduct.
A "posted worker" is an employee who is sent by his or her employer to carry out a service in another EU Member State on a temporary basis.
Posted workers do not include individuals who decide of their own accord to seek employment in another Member State, seagoing personnel in the merchant navy or the self-employed.
Posted workers are entitled to the full range of Irish employee protection legislation which applies to workers posted to work in, or otherwise working in the State.
There is a legal right to not experience discrimination in Ireland under 9 grounds:
Equal pay for like work is part of everyone’s contract of employment. Like work is defined as work that is the same, similar or work of equal value.