The events of 2020 led to many changes to employment law and practice in Ireland and 2021 continues (and accelerates!) this trend. Employers now face new decisions, new responsibilities and new obligations. We will examine these recent changes to workplace practices, including the right to disconnect, flexible/remote working and working with COVID-19. We will also examine key upcoming developments such as the right to request flexible working, statutory sick pay, changes to whistleblowing legislation and gender pay gap reporting.

In addition, we will look at how pension scheme trustees and employers can comply with IORP II now that it has arrived in Ireland. We will discuss the key points of concern which pension scheme trustees and sponsoring employers will need to be aware of and start complying with. This includes trustee and key function holders fitness and probity, the new system of governance and new supervisory powers of the Pensions Authority.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.