Each employee must be given a written statement of their terms and conditions of employment, as per provisions under the Terms of Employment (Information) Acts, within two months of commencing employment.
The plan for paid sick leave is as follows:
· 3 sick days per calendar year in 2023;
· 5 days per calendar year in 2024;
· 7 days per calendar year in 2025;
· 10 days per calendar year in 2026.
Is the employer obliged to pay the employee?
In general, there is no statutory entitlement for an employee to be paid if they cannot attend work because of extreme weather. Any more beneficial arrangement is a matter for agreement between the employer and the employee.
Employers are encouraged to take a long-term view of the working relationship, recognising that demonstrating concern for the welfare of employees and treating employees fairly translates into a better working environment to the benefit of both the staff and the employer.
Every year there appears to be great confusion about public holiday entitlements of workers at Christmas time.
Christmas Day, St Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Day are public holidays.
Even when a public holiday falls on a day which is not a ‘normal working day’ for that business (for example, on Saturday or Sunday), employees are still entitled to benefit for that public holiday.
There is common mistakes and mishaps that can happen and leave an employer liable. Very often workplaces throw caution to the wind with these events but they should plan and consider, because whilst most workplace Christmas parties end up being great fun events, some things can go wrong and when they do, they can go badly wrong. So, employers need to plan properly.
Many businesses may have to look at finding for the cost of this somewhere else such as scrapping or cutting back on employee rewards, bonuses or benefits. Indeed, this is already happening in some larger organisations as a way of protection heading into the predicted slowdown or recession.
The WHO predicted this peak-time summer season wave and unfortunately strategic plans have not been put in place by government to help businesses and to help employers. There needs to be a long-term plan for small businesses to able to cope with the continued shockwaves of covid. The introduction of Covid supports to Businesses now needs to be a very real consideration as the Covid impact is still there and it is eroding turnover and the bottom line,
Employees with long COVID may have a disability, so employers should consider what adjustments to duties, working from home or working hours could help them return to working or the workplace.
Each employee must be given a written statement of their terms and conditions of employment, as per provisions under the Terms of Employment (Information) Acts, within two months of commencing employment.
