Leave

Most Fórsa members have better leave entitlements than the legal minimums. In most employments, leave entitlements are related to a members’ grade. The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, sets out minimum legal entitlements to paid leave. The Act allows for four working weeks off where at least 1,365 hours have been worked in the leave year, or one third of a working week where the employee works at least 117 hours in a calendar month or 8% of the hours worked in a leave year. Sick leave is not counted as hours worked, but maternity and parental leave are. Although most employers will agree with individual staff when leave can be taken, the employer can determine this if they meet certain conditions. See also ‘public holidays.’

Get more information from www.workplacerelations.ie and www.irishstatutebook.ie.