The Defamation (Amendment) Act 2026 is a game-changer for Irish retailers. With the introduction of a specific 'Retail Defamation' defence and the abolition of juries in the High Court, SMEs now have a clearer, more cost-effective path to defending payment-related disputes. Learn how Section 8 protects your business from meritless claims while ensuring customer rights are respected.

Practical considerations for business to support employees managing with financial strain.

From 1 March 2026 new Minimum Annual Remuneration (MAR) salary thresholds will increase. We highlight the main changes to the salary thresholds and what you need to do to stay compliant.

In a pivotal decision that highlights employers’ obligations under Ireland’s remote working legislation, tech giant Salesforce has been ordered to pay €1,000 in compensation to an employee after failing to respond to a remote work request within the statutory timeframe. This is the first successful complaint under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, and it carries significant implications for employers across Ireland.

The long-awaited Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings System is nearly here. This system is designed to help more workers save for retirement and will place new responsibilities on employers.

Working from home has its pros and cons; meetings with clients that don’t require 6am alarms and you might be able to play with the kids on your lunch break. That said, we must remember that working from home doesn’t necessarily mean that you can wear your pjs for that 9am meeting or forget about personal grooming.

Burnout isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a serious workplace issue that’s affecting more and more employees in Ireland.

The introduction of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 has brought significant change for employers across Ireland. For the first time, employees have a statutory right to request remote working, and employers are legally required to respond in line with clear procedures and timelines.

Under current legislation, an employer can limit an employee from taking a second job, but only in specific situations. This is known as an “incompatibility restriction.”

Many employers are familiar with unfair dismissal, but constructive dismissal is often misunderstood or overlooked. A recent Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) case saw a former employee awarded €90,000 after successfully claiming that she was left with no choice but to resign. For employers, this serves as an important message that what you don’t do can be just as risky as what you do.

A past ruling by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) highlights the dangers of failing to properly accommodate workers with disabilities. A design engineer with over 30 years’ experience was awarded €15,000 after being discriminatorily dismissed due to his severe speech impediment.

With smartphones now in everyone’s pockets, recordings in the workplace are becoming increasingly common, but are they legal? Can they be used in court? And how should employers respond?

This is a common query we receive: An employer invites an employee to a disciplinary hearing, and the employee requests to bring their solicitor. So, is the employer legally required to allow this?

Up until a few years ago, employees who left their jobs at the traditional retirement age of 65 were forced to sign on to the Live Register and claim the dole until their State pension kicked in on their 66th birthday.

A recent ruling from the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) highlights the critical importance of adhering to fair procedures when responding to employee conduct on social media.

Many employers assume that probationary periods give them the freedom to terminate employment without much formality. However, a recent decision by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in 2024 serves as a reminder that probationary periods are not a loophole to skip following the fair procedures.

In a decision issued in 2024, the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) found that Smurfit Kappa (EDCO) unlawfully discriminated against an employee with lupus, failing to provide reasonable accommodations and later dismissing her in a manner that breached the Employment Equality Acts. This resulted in a €64,000 compensation award, one of the more significant disability-related findings in recent years.

In Ireland, bereavement leave (or compassionate leave) isn’t as clear-cut as many employers think. There’s no statutory entitlement under Irish law to be paid bereavement leave, which often leaves private sector employers confused.