Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 September 2021
121. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will intervene via legislation or otherwise to protect workers who must stay at home with their school-aged child who has to self-isolate in accordance with public health guidelines; if he will ensure leave is available to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43755/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware the public health response to COVID-19 is constantly monitored, including approaches to testing, contact tracing, outbreak management, surveillance and sequencing, and is under review in the context of planning for an overall transition in our approach to the management of COVID-19. This review will inform the development of a future public health response strategy and approach for the coming months.
From the outset of Covid-19, many employers have taken the initiative, in line with subsequent requests from the Government, to be as flexible as possible in allowing staff time off to look after their children who are not attending school or crèche. Employers have a general duty of care towards their workers and that care is often expressed in the form of negotiation, compromise and flexibility. Some of the options to be considered for workers with caring responsibilities that preclude them from working their normal hours in the normal, pre-Covid, may include -
- Offering paid compassionate leave,
- Allowing employees to work from home,
- Altering shifts, so that employees can coordinate caring between themselves and partners, or another person,
- Allowing employees to rearrange holidays,
- Allowing employees to rearrange parental leave,
- Allowing employees to take paid time off that can be worked back at a later time etc.
- Allowing employees to take unpaid leave until they can return to work full or part-time.
