Everything you need to know about your rights at work in Ireland.
Under the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts 1973–2005, both employer and employee must give notice. The minimum depends on length of service:
| Length of Service | Minimum Notice (Employer → Employee) |
|---|---|
| 13 weeks – 2 years | 1 week |
| 2 – 5 years | 2 weeks |
| 5 – 10 years | 4 weeks |
| 10 – 15 years | 6 weeks |
| 15+ years | 8 weeks |
Under the Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977–2015, you're protected from unfair dismissal once you have 12 months' continuous service. Your employer must show the dismissal was for a fair reason: capability, conduct, redundancy, or contravention of law. They must also follow fair procedures.
If the WRC Adjudication Officer finds your dismissal was unfair, remedies include: reinstatement, re-engagement, or compensation of up to 2 years' remuneration. Claims must be made within 6 months of dismissal (extendable to 12 months for reasonable cause).
26 weeks paid (via State Maternity Benefit of €274/week in 2026) plus 16 weeks unpaid. You must take at least 2 weeks before and 4 weeks after the birth. Your job is protected — you must be allowed return to the same or equivalent role.
2 weeks paid (Paternity Benefit €274/week). Must be taken within 26 weeks of the birth. Many Irish employers now top up to full pay — worth asking during negotiation.
9 weeks per parent for each child under 2 (or within 2 years of adoption). Paid at €274/week via Parent's Benefit. Non-transferable between parents.
26 weeks unpaid leave per child under 12. Can be taken in blocks (minimum 6 weeks) or as individual days with employer agreement. Both parents are entitled.
If you have 2+ years' continuous service (aged 16+), you're entitled to statutory redundancy: 2 weeks' pay per year of service plus 1 bonus week. Pay is capped at €600/week for statutory purposes.
Employers must use fair, objective criteria for selecting who is made redundant (e.g., LIFO — last in, first out — or skills-based scoring). Selection based on pregnancy, age, disability, or union membership is automatically unfair.
Working 4.5+ hours → 15-minute break. Working 6+ hours → 30-minute break (can include the 15 minutes). Shop workers who work 6+ hours including 11:30am–2:30pm are entitled to a 1-hour consecutive break.
The Employment Equality Acts 1998–2015 prohibit discrimination in employment on 9 grounds: gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race (including colour, nationality, ethnic origin), and membership of the Traveller community. This covers recruitment, pay, promotion, training, and dismissal.
Ireland's national minimum wage applies to most employees aged 20+. Reduced rates apply to younger workers and those in structured training. Certain sectors have higher minimum rates set by Employment Regulation Orders (e.g., contract cleaning, security).
File complaints, check your rights, access mediation
Comprehensive employment rights guides in plain English
Discrimination complaints and equality information
Tax, PRSI, USC, and payroll information