Welcome to our Workplace Insights section. Here you'll find clear, practical guidance on employment rights, workplace issues, and how we support employees in real-world situations. The content is designed to help you understand common problems, recent developments, and your options, with straightforward explanations you can rely on. For tailored support, you can contact us directly.
If you're involved in a workplace dispute and reach a financial settlement with your employer, it's important to understand how that payment will be treated for tax purposes. Some payments can be tax-free, but others are taxable depending on what the payment is for.
In most situations, it's easy to tell if you're working as an employee or if you're self-employed. But sometimes it's not so clear. In Ireland and across the EU, there's no simple legal definition of what "employed" or "self-employed" means. So, to figure it out, both your contract and what actually happens day to day in your job are looked at....
No, your employer is not allowed to deduct the cost of a uniform — or the cost of cleaning it — from your wages without your prior written agreement. Under the Payment of Wages Act 1991, any deduction from your pay must be authorised in writing, either through a clearly worded clause in your signed contract of employment or...
If you're involved in a workplace dispute, keeping accurate, organised records can be critically important.
The Unfair Performance Evaluation Model
A biased or unfair performance evaluation can impact your career—affecting promotions, pay increases, and even job security. But you don't have to accept it without question. A fair evaluation system should allow two-way communication, giving you the opportunity to discuss your review and challenge it objectively. If this process fails, you have...
As of January 1st, 2025, the National Minimum Wage has increased to €13.50 per hour for adults aged 20 and over.
Many employees are told that mistakes—like breaking something at work, making an error on the till, or damaging company property—will be taken out of their wages. But is this actually legal?
If you feel you're not being treated fairly at work, you have the right to raise a grievance, and your employer is obligated to address your concerns through a formal process.