Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 25 Jun 2002

Vol. 553 No. 5

Written Answers. - Employment Regulations.

Michael Ring

Question:

140 Mr. Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her Department's definition of "time" in relation to the rates to be paid for overtime, and public holidays within the context of the Employment Regulations Order. [14345/02]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

Employment regulation orders are concerned with the establishment of minimum rates of pay and conditions for workers in specific sectors of the economy. Each employment regulation order is managed by a joint labour committee that consists of representatives of the workers and employers functioning under the auspices of the Labour Court. For example, there is a joint labour committee for the contract cleaning sector and another for the security industry. At present, there are 15 employment regulation orders in place. There is no specific definition of "time" applying across all these orders.

The arrangements to deal with overtime and work undertaken on public holidays, in a particular sector, are set out in each of the orders and are a matter for agreement by the joint labour committee responsible. In the context of these orders the term "time" is understood as referring to the minimum rate of hourly pay to which any specific category of employee, as defined in the relevant order, is entitled.

Generally, the orders provide for an enhanced rate of pay for overtime by means of a multiple of the basic rate governed by bands of hours worked. So, for example, a worker might be entitled to "time and a quarter" for the first band of five hours of overtime and "time and half" for any subsequent hours worked. That would mean an entitlement to payment for the first five hours of overtime at the minimum hourly rate set out in the order but increased by 25%. Subsequent hours, in this example, would be paid at the minimum hourly rate again but increased by 50%.

It should be noted that each employment regulation order is unique in that its terms can reflect an agreed position relative to the particular features in the specific employment sector concerned.