Ireland: Contract of Employment

The Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Act 2025 (Act) came into force on 29 June 2026. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has published a code of practice (Code), also operative since 29 June 2026...

Irish employment law includes a comprehensive framework of protected leave entitlements that employers must navigate carefully to maintain compliance. Understanding the distinctions between maternity, paternity, parental, sick leave, and other statutory leave categories is essential for HR professionals and business leaders. This guide breaks down the key requirements and employment protections that apply across all leave types in Ireland.

Ireland's Cabinet has approved the General Scheme of the Pregnancy Loss Leave Bill 2026, which would establish a statutory entitlement to five days' paid leave annually for employees experiencing pregnancy loss before 23 weeks' gestation. The proposed legislation includes day-one employment rights, protection against penalisation, and provisions for employers with existing more favorable schemes. Employers should begin reviewing their current leave and bereavement policies in anticipation of potential enact

The CJEU's recent judgment in Locatrans Sàrl v ES [2025] clarifies how courts must determine which country's mandatory employment laws apply when employees work across multiple jurisdictions.

The Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) (Amendment) Act 2026 (PDF 467KB) was signed into law on 31 March.

Irish employers must prove a genuine redundancy situation exists and follow fair procedures to avoid unfair dismissal claims.

This month, the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025 was published. It proposes to impose additional requirements on employers where mandatory retirement below state pension age...

The much-awaited updated Code of Practice on Determining Employment Status (the "Code") which is available here, was published in October 2024 after a review by an interdepartmental group comprising...

The Sick Leave Act 2022 ("The Act") provided qualifying employees with an entitlement to statutory sick pay (SSP).