ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • 41 Industry News Workers will be entitled to Sick Pay for the first time under new law Ireland is one of few advanced economies in Europe without a mandatory sick leave entitlement. Under current arrangements, sick leave is provided to about half of all employees through their terms & conditions. There is a big gap between public sector workers of whom almost all get sick pay and private sector workers where coverage is much less. The pandemic really brought home the stark contrast between those with and without sick leave, particularly those in more precarious working arrangements, The Scheme is being phased in to help employers to plan ahead and manage the additional cost, which ‒The Sick Leave Bill 2022 was approved by the Government Cabinet on the 30th March and will legislate for a statutory sick pay scheme for all employees, phased in over a four-year period. has been capped. The Government recognises that many businesses, particularly small businesses, have had a particularly dif cult couple of years and continue to face challenges. There has also been extensive consultation with employers and unions on these measures, and the scheme is comparable with those in other advanced EU economies. The new scheme will start with three days per year once the Bill is enacted, rising to ve days in 2024, seven days in 2025, and ten days in 2026. Sick pay will be paid by employers at a rate of 70% of an employee’s wage, subject to a daily maximum threshold of €110. The daily earnings threshold of €110 is based on 2019 mean weekly earnings of €786.33 It can be revised by ministerial order in line with in ation and changing incomes. The rate of 70% and the daily cap are set to ensure excessive costs are not placed solely on employers, who in certain sectors may also have to deal with the cost of replacing staff who are out sick at short notice. The Bill is primarily intended to provide a minimum level of protection to low paid employees, who may have no entitlement to a company sick pay scheme. üuser-friendly +üsafe processing Cellpack Gel Technology held ex-stock in our warehouse Gel Technology for Low Voltage Application Garden Projects Web: www.switch.ie - Email: sales@switch.ie - Tel: (01) 452 4182 - Fax: (01) 452 4382
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mzk5MjA=