Insights
Employer Spotlight: Exploring Gender Pay Gap in the Workplace: Lessons from Ryan v Erac Ireland Limited Enterprise Flex-E-Rent (2024)
In Ireland, legislation prohibits employers from paying employees differently based on gender when they perform 'like work.' To defend against a claim of unequal pay on gender grounds, an employer must either prove that the work performed by different employees does...
Employer Spotlight: Proposed changes to Maternity Leave and the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements
Introduction Two important changes are currently being discussed in the Cabinet on foot of the Maternity Protection (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2024 (the “2024 Bill”). The 2024 Bill seeks to amend the current Maternity Protection Act 1994 (as...
Spotlight: Navigating Performance Reviews and Performance Improvement Plans: Lessons from McGarry v JTI (Ireland) Limited (2023)
Introduction Navigating performance reviews and implementing Performance Improvement Plans (“PIPs”) can be challenging, particularly when managing employees who have been with an organisation for over twelve months and have successfully passed their probation period....
Spotlight: Retirement in the Workplace – An Update Following a Recent Supreme Court Decision
Introduction Mandatory retirement policies, which compel employees to retire at a specific age, have long been contentious in Irish employment law. These policies intersect with age discrimination protections under Irish law, leading to ongoing legal scrutiny. Recent...
Alastair Purdy LLP. Solicitors Celebrates Double Win at the Dye and Durham Irish Law Awards 2024
We are delighted to announce that Alastair Purdy LLP. Solicitors have received two awards at the Dye and Durham Irish Law Awards 2024. Firstly, we are proud to have been named the Regional Employment Law Firm for Connacht/Ulster for the seventh year in a row. This...
Employment Spotlight: Statutory Sick Pay – 18 Months Later
In September 2023, the first WRC decision under the Sick Leave Act 2022 ("2022 Act") was determined. Over a year on from the introduction of the 2022 Act, we explore this decision and its impact on employers with a private sick pay scheme. 2022 Act Recap The 2022 Act...
Employment Spotlight: The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 2023, Part 2
In the second part of this discussion we will look at further leave entitlements being introduced by the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 (‘the 2023 Act’) Flexible Working Arrangements Section 13B of the 2023 Act introduces the right to request...
Employment Spotlight: The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 2023, Part 1
Introduction On the 4 April 2023, the President signed the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 (the '2023 Act’) into Law, which in turn is subject to a commencement date that will be revealed later in the year. This legislation aims to give effect...
Employment Spotlight: Bank of Ireland loses constructive dismissal case for unauthorised ‘Hybrid’ role
Tara Cassidy v Bank of Ireland 2022 Background The employee commenced employment with Bank of Ireland in December 2018 as a Customer Advisor. In December 2019, the Bank advertised a new ‘Hybrid’ role. The Bank informed its employees if there was an internal...
Employment Spotlight: Gender Discrimination during Interviews – A Case Study
Overview A Women’s right to Maternity leave is enshrined in the Maternity Protection Act, 1994. Therefore, Employers must ensure that women are not subjected to discriminatory treatment on the grounds of their gender or family status when they are on maternity leave,...
Employment Spotlight: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2022: What Employers Need to Know
Last October, the Irish government confirmed it will introduce a new Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System, which is expected to come into effect in late 2023 - early 2024. This new system will require employers to automatically enrol their eligible employees...
Employment Spotlight: Resolving Disputed Facts – Case Studies from Workplace Relations Commission
Resolving Disputed Facts: Case Studies from Workplace Relations Commission More often than not, cases brought before the Workplace Relations Commission, concern a disagreement on facts. Two parties, present their different versions, of the same set of facts. In such...
Employment Law Spotlight: The European Union (Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions) Regulations 2022
INTRODUCTION EU Directive 2019/1152 on Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions was transposed into Irish law on the 16 December 2022 by the European Union (Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions) Regulations 2022 (“Regulations”). The Regulations apply...
Employment Law Spotlight: The effects of imprisonment on employment?
Muiris Flynn v Iarnrod Eireann ADJ-00030195 (2022) Background The Complainant was employed by the Respondent Company from January 2008, until his dismissal in March 2020. In September of 2017, the Complainant was involved in a serious road traffic accident,...
Alastair Purdy LLP., successfully defends claim of discrimination from man refusing to wear a mask
Alastair Purdy LLP Solicitors successfully represented T. O` Higgins Homevalue Hardware Ltd (“Respondent”) before the Work Relations Commission (‘’WRC’’) in a discrimination claim brought by an individual wishing to enter the shop who refused to wear a face mask...
Alastair Purdy LLP, successfully defends claim of unlawful deduction in wages before the WRC
Alastair Purdy LLP Solicitors successfully represented Complete Lab Solutions ("Respondent") before the Work Relations Commission (‘’WRC’’) in an action brought by a former employee ("Complainant") claiming unlawful deduction in his wages. Background In this case, the...
In Short: New Statutory Leave Proposed for Parents and Carers
On the 20th April 2022, the cabinet discussed the upcoming draft legislation titled the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill (”Bill”), which is due to transpose the EU work life balance directive into Irish Law. The purpose of the Bill to provide more...
Alastair Purdy LLP secures award of €75,000 before the Labour Court for failing to provide reasonable accommodation
Siobhan McGowan of Alastair Purdy LLP Solicitors successfully represented a Complainant in the Labour Court recently resulting in an award of €75,000 for a discriminatory dismissal claim and failure to provide reasonable accommodation under the Employment Equality...
Recent Insights
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