[Ireland] Every worker will be entitled to 10 days sick leave

Every worker in Ireland will soon be entitled to statutory sick pay under a new law agreed by the Government, Irish Examiner reports.

The Sick Leave Bill 2022 was approved by Cabinet after being introduced by Employment Minister Leo Varadkar. It will legislate for a statutory sick pay scheme for all employees, phased in over a four-year period.

It is estimated that only half of employees have sick leave provided for through the terms and conditions of their employment, with a gap between the public and private sectors. Under the Sick Leave Bill, employees will reportedly be entitled to three days of paid sick leave this year, five days in 2024, seven days in 2025 and 10 in 2026.

An employee must obtain a medical certificate to access statutory sick pay and it will only cover 70 per cent of wages, subject to a maximum daily threshold of €110. The cost will be paid by the employer. The scheme is being phased in to help employers manage any additional costs.

Mr Varadkar has previously spoken about the way the pandemic highlighted the contrasts between those with and without sick leave. He said this law would address that situation.

“The pandemic exposed the precarious position of many people, especially in the private sector and in low-paid roles, when it comes to missing work due to illness. No one should feel pressured to come to work when they are ill because they can’t afford not to.

"Ireland is one of the few advanced countries in Europe not to have a mandatory sick pay scheme and although many, we think approximately half, of employers do provide sick pay, we need to make sure that security, that safety net, is there for all workers, regardless of their job. It has to be one of the legacies of the pandemic. It will be available to all workers, regardless of their illness.”

Mr Varadkar said the bill was primarily intended to provide a "minimum level of protection to low-paid employees, who may have no entitlement to a company sick pay scheme". The legislation expressly states that this does not prevent employers from offering better terms or unions from negotiating for more through a collective agreement.

The Employment Minister added that he fully understood businesses would face additional costs and employees may feel that the plan doesn't go far enough but he said the legislation was balanced.

“We’ve done a lot of consultation on this, with representatives from both the employee and employer side and although I know some will think it goes too far and others that it doesn’t go far enough, I think it has struck a fair and reasonable balance.”

Source: Irish Examiner

(Quotes via original reporting)

Every worker in Ireland will soon be entitled to statutory sick pay under a new law agreed by the Government, Irish Examiner reports.

The Sick Leave Bill 2022 was approved by Cabinet after being introduced by Employment Minister Leo Varadkar. It will legislate for a statutory sick pay scheme for all employees, phased in over a four-year period.

It is estimated that only half of employees have sick leave provided for through the terms and conditions of their employment, with a gap between the public and private sectors. Under the Sick Leave Bill, employees will reportedly be entitled to three days of paid sick leave this year, five days in 2024, seven days in 2025 and 10 in 2026.

An employee must obtain a medical certificate to access statutory sick pay and it will only cover 70 per cent of wages, subject to a maximum daily threshold of €110. The cost will be paid by the employer. The scheme is being phased in to help employers manage any additional costs.

Mr Varadkar has previously spoken about the way the pandemic highlighted the contrasts between those with and without sick leave. He said this law would address that situation.

“The pandemic exposed the precarious position of many people, especially in the private sector and in low-paid roles, when it comes to missing work due to illness. No one should feel pressured to come to work when they are ill because they can’t afford not to.

"Ireland is one of the few advanced countries in Europe not to have a mandatory sick pay scheme and although many, we think approximately half, of employers do provide sick pay, we need to make sure that security, that safety net, is there for all workers, regardless of their job. It has to be one of the legacies of the pandemic. It will be available to all workers, regardless of their illness.”

Mr Varadkar said the bill was primarily intended to provide a "minimum level of protection to low-paid employees, who may have no entitlement to a company sick pay scheme". The legislation expressly states that this does not prevent employers from offering better terms or unions from negotiating for more through a collective agreement.

The Employment Minister added that he fully understood businesses would face additional costs and employees may feel that the plan doesn't go far enough but he said the legislation was balanced.

“We’ve done a lot of consultation on this, with representatives from both the employee and employer side and although I know some will think it goes too far and others that it doesn’t go far enough, I think it has struck a fair and reasonable balance.”

Source: Irish Examiner

(Quotes via original reporting)