Workers' Rights
Minimum wage, working time, unfair dismissal, redundancy, discrimination, parental leave, whistleblowing, and workplace safety under Irish national law.
National Minimum Wage
Every employee in Ireland has the right to be paid at least the National Minimum Wage (NMW). As of January 2025, the adult rate is:Aged 20 and over: €13.50 per hourAged 19: €12.15 per hour (90% of adu...
Working Time and Rest Breaks
Irish law sets limits on working hours and guarantees rest periods. The key rules are:Maximum 48-hour working week — averaged over 4 months (or 6/12 months in certain sectors by collective agreement)....
Unfair Dismissal
If your employer fires you without a fair reason or without following fair procedures, you may have been unfairly dismissed. To bring a claim, you normally need at least 12 months of continuous servic...
Redundancy Pay
If your job genuinely disappears — because the business is closing, your workplace is shutting, or fewer workers are needed — you are entitled to statutory redundancy pay.The formula is:Two weeks' pay...
Employment Equality
The Employment Equality Acts protect you from discrimination at work based on 9 grounds:GenderCivil statusFamily statusSexual orientationReligionAgeDisabilityRace (including colour, nationality, ethni...
Maternity and Parental Leave
Pregnant employees in Ireland are entitled to 26 weeks of maternity leave, with the option of an additional 16 weeks unpaid. Leave must start no later than 2 weeks before the expected due date.Materni...
Protected Disclosures (Whistleblowing)
If you report wrongdoing at work — a crime, a risk to health or safety, environmental damage, misuse of public funds, or a breach of EU law — you are a whistleblower and the law protects you from reta...
Health and Safety at Work
Your employer has a legal duty to ensure your safety, health, and welfare at work, so far as is reasonably practicable. This means they must:Prepare a written Safety Statement identifying hazards and...