2022 Score

83.5

Score Increase

2020 Score

81

Rating

Approaching
Decent Work

Fair
Wages

40

Decent
Working Hours

100

Employment
Security

40

Family
Responsibilities

75

Maternity
at Work

80

Safe
Work

100

Social
Security

100

Fair
Treatment

100

Child &
Forced Labour

100

Trade
Union

100

Fair Wages

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law prescribe minimum wage rates in the country?Yes1§14-17 of National Minimum Wage Act 2000
Does the law require regular payment of wages?Yes1Payment of Wages Act 1991
Does the law require overtime compensation be at least 125% of the regular hourly rate?No0§18 of the Organization of Working Time Act, 1997
Does the law require additional compensation for working on a weekly rest day?No0S.14(1) of Organization of Working Time Act, 1997
Does the law require additional compensation for night work?No0§16 of the Organization of Working Time Act, 1997

Decent Working Hours

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law stipulate general working hours as 48 hours or lower?Yes1§4(5), 5, 15(1) and 18 of the Organization of Working Time Act, 1997
Does the law restrict maximum working hours including overtime to 56 hours per week?Yes1§15(1) of the Organization of Working Time Act, 1997
Does the law require a weekly rest of at least 24 hours?Yes1§13 & 35(2) of the Organization of Working Time Act, 1997; §6 of the Protection of Young Persons Act, 1996
Does the law require paid public holidays?Yes1§21-22 of the Organization of Working Time Act, 1997
Does the law require at least three working weeks of paid annual leave?Yes1§19-20 of the Organization of Working Time Act, 1997

Employment Security

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require written employment contracts or at least written employment particulars?Yes1§15, 16, of the Employment (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 2018; §3 of the Terms of Employment (Information) Act, 1994
Does the law restrict the hiring of fixed-term contract workers?Yes1§9-10 of the Protection of Employees (Fixed Term) Work Act, 2003
Does the law limit the length of probation period including renewals to a maximum of 3 months?No0§2 of the Unfair Dismissals Act 1997
Does the law require a 30-day notice before contract termination?No0§4-8 of the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act, 1973
Does the law require severance pay at the rate of at least 2 weeks of wages for every year of service?No0§11 of the Redundancy Payments Acts of 1967-2007

Family Responsibilities

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require parental leave for parents?Yes1§6-9, Parental Leave Act 1998; §5, Parent's Leave & Benefit Act 2019; Family Leave & Misc. Provis. Act 2021
Does the law require at least one week of paid paternity leave for fathers?Yes1§6 of the Social Welfare Act 2017; Paternity Leave & Benefit Act 2016
Does the law require flexible work arrangements for workers with family responsibilities?No0No applicable legal provisions could be located
Does the law require paid nursing breaks?Yes1§15B of the Maternity Protection amendment Act 2004; §3-4 of the S.I. No. 654/2004

Maternity at Work

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law prohibits inquiring about pregnancy during recruitment?No0No applicable legal provisions could be located
Does the law require paid maternity leave of at least 14 weeks?Yes1§8 - 16 of the Maternity Protection Act 1994
Does the law require cash maternity benefit be at least 67% of a worker's former wage?Yes1§4 of the Social Welfare Act 2017; §6(1), 47-49 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005
Does the law require maternity benefit be paid through contributory social insurance or universal benefits system?Yes1§4 of the Social Welfare Act 2017; §6(1), 47-49 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005
Does the law protect workers from dismissals during or on account of pregnancy?Yes1§23-24 of the Maternity Protection Act; §6 of the Unfair Dismissals Act, 1977

Safe Work

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require provision of free personal protective equipment to workers from employer?Yes1§8 of the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005; S.I. No. 299/2007 on OSH
Does the law require the employer to train workers on health and safety issues?Yes1§10 of the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1993
Does the law restrict work that is prejudicial to the health of the mother or the child?Yes1Maternity Protection Acts 1994; Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Pregnant Employees etc.) Regulations S.I. No. 218/2000
Does the law provide for employment injury benefit?Yes1§69-98 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005

Social Security

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law provide for an old age pension?Yes1§108-117 & 152-160 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005
Does the law provide for a dependants'/survivors' pension?Yes1§108-117 & 152-160 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005
Does the law provide for unemployment benefit?Yes1§62-68 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005
Does the law require paid sick leave for the first 6 months of sickness?Yes1Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005
Does the law provide for invalidity benefit?Yes1§40-46 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005

Fair Treatment

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require equal remuneration for work of equal value?Yes1§6, 8, 19, 26 and 82 of the Employment Equality Act 1998-2015
Does the law prohibit sexual harassment in employment?Yes1§14A, 15, and 82 of the Employment Equality Acts, 1980-2015; §78 of the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act 2005
Does the law prohibit discrimination in employment matters?Yes1§6, 8, 26 and 82 of the Employment Equality Acts, 1980-2015
Does the law allow women to do the same jobs as men?Yes1No restrictive legal provisions could be located
Does the law guarantee basic labour protections for gig economy workers?Yes1Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005

Child & Forced Labour

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law prohibit employment of children?Yes1§3-6 of the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996
Does the law set employment entry age equal to or higher than the compulsory schooling age?Yes1§2 & Part III of Education Welfare Act, 2000
Does the law prohibit the employment of children in hazardous work under the age of 18 years?Yes1§5-10 of the Protection of (Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996
Does the law prohibit forced labour?Yes1Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008

Trade Union

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law allow workers to form and join unions of their own choice?Yes1§40 of the Irish Constitution 1937
Does the law allow workers to bargain collectively with employers through their representative unions?Yes1Sectoral Employment Orders under Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015; USDOS CRHRP 2021
Does the law provide for the right to strike?Yes1Part 2 of the Industrial Relations Act 1990; §5 of Unfair Dismissals Act 1977
Does the law prohibit employers from terminating employment contracts of striking workers?Yes1§5 of Unfair Dismissals Act 1977; S.I. No. 463/2015 - Industrial Relations Act 1990 (Code of Practice on Victimisation) Order 2015